


Connection

by jacintoo, selenesun



Series: Connection [1]
Category: Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-09 22:33:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 31,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7819858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacintoo/pseuds/jacintoo, https://archiveofourown.org/users/selenesun/pseuds/selenesun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex tries to get back his memories, but ends up finding out a dark secret of his father's and stumbling into a ghost story with Clark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The story line sets at the end of Season 3, and doesn’t follow Season 4.

It’s night in Metropolis. Air heavy and humid, even hours after the sunset. Lex is driving through the city, his Ferrari whizzing like a storm in the night lights. He is heading to the premium entertaining area along the waterfront, a suitable place for a rich man like him to spend a few hours’ quality time. But he is not going for happy hours, no. He has other things on mind.

Turning a last corner with a screech, his destination appears before his eyes. The house looks almost ordinary, façade elegant and polished, with a lush small garden in front. Yet the name engraved on the marble sign on gate is anything but ordinary: Cicatrix. 

Lex stops the car up front, hops out, and tosses the keys to the valet dutifully coming up to welcome him, pocketing the small parking chip. He doesn’t bother any words, just goes straight into the lobby, which resembles a tastefully furnished hotel lobby. A beautiful Asian woman is stationed at the front desk.

Lex steps up and shows her a silvery card. She nods. “Mr. Luthor, welcome.” She bows slightly, “Your escort is waiting for you as you requested. Please, if you’d follow me, sir.” 

She leads Lex through thick-carpeted corridors and marble stairs with wrought iron barricades. There’s no noise of pleasure seeking as one would expect in such a place, only a mystic perfume lingers in the cool air. She finally stops before a heavy wooden door, and gracefully opens it for him, presenting a luscious suite.

“Sir, you’ll find almost any kind of toy you might need in the closet over there; larger installations are in the back room. If any specific or additional demand may arise, please just ring the front desk. Enjoy the night.” She bows again, and turns to leave, the door closing behind her.

Lex steps forward into the room. There on a brocade canapé sits a man. He is slightly younger than Lex, black straight hair cascading down to his waist. He’s only wearing a silk kimono bathrobe, slender, even on the side of skinny, skin unblemished and perfect, pale like a pearl. His bone structure is very delicate, refined, almost like a woman’s. One might say his beauty is astounding, yet his emotion is locked away. When he sees Lex, his eyes are like tranquil pools, but soon he stands up languidly, and an absent-minded smile adorns his face.

“Lex, I’ve been waiting for you all night.” The tone is flirtatious. To Lex’s surprise, he has a very deep voice. He doesn’t draw near to Lex, but approaches the nightstand, and lights up a candle. The mystic perfume Lex smelt in the corridor starts to fill the room. He then picks up a lipstick beside the candle and looks back at Lex with an innocent look. “Would you like me to put it on? I have been told that it’s very pleasing to the eyes when I do it, and the result is very… enticing.”

“That is none of my concern.” Lex tells him calmly.

The man drops the lipstick, unfazed, and glides through the room, till he is next to Lex. A push gets Lex down on the canapé, and he falls into Lex’s lap, fingers nimbly start to unzip Lex’s pants. Lex grabs both of his wrists abruptly.

“This is not what I’m here for, either.” Lex says.

“Very well.” The man stands up. “Shall we proceed to the bed, or the back room?” 

“Neither.” Lex walks to the bar and pours a scotch. “This couch is good enough for my kind of play.” He takes a sip, “21 year old. Nice. Your employer sure has impeccable taste.”

“So glad you appreciate the beverage.” He sounds almost bored. “Tell me about your kind of play.”

“Your mind. I’d like to play with your mind. I’d like to know you.” Lex continues, “Alan Aubaine. You have a strange family name.”

The man starts. It’s the first real emotion Lex sees since he’s entered the room.

“It’s not me who can determine my family, not to mention the ‘family name’.” He says with a hint of cynicism. “I don’t remember telling you my real name.”

Lex flashes a quick smile. “I can’t rely on people to just tell me the truth, so you must forgive my little habit of digging. You’ve been working as a ‘volunteer’ in Dr. Robertson’s neurology lab for, let me see, almost four years now. No records show anything about what your involvements have been; coincidently, the good doctor’s previously uneventful scholar life had taken a dramatic turn. In the last three years, his papers were published on important journals, like _Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Nature Neuroscience_ and _Neuron._

“I read those papers; I was impressed. I wouldn’t, no, I couldn’t have overlooked Dr. Robertson’s genius back in my MetU days. And I take pride in my ability to see things. Nothing comes from nothing, Alan; the only unclear factor about his lab staff is you, and may I boldly presume that you are the one who wrote those papers?”

“I don’t see how this matters.” Alan shrugs. The collar of his loosely knotted bathrobe slides open a bit, and he peers at Lex seductively through ridiculously long lashes.

“Without any credit, and not even a decent pay, anyone would have forsaken boat. But you not only haven’t left Dr. Robertson, but also gone and found a place to teach neuroscience in the Metropolis Evening University. You must love neurology very much.” 

“I would never guess that neurology gets you hot and bothered, Lex.” He scoffs slightly, “You’d rather talk about my love of neurology, with me, instead of doing something fun. Why, Lex, we can talk _while_ we do something fun.”

“And on the nights you don’t hold class, you are an escort here. Such a waste of talent, and what for?” Lex completely ignores Alan’s seduction. 

Alan looks at this man in front of him. These rich people, they have their strange sides, and Lex Luthor is doubtlessly the strangest one of them all. The son of LuthorCorp’s CEO is oddly hurt on Alan’s behalf for his academic achievements. This sure doesn’t happen everyday.

“What do you want from me?”

“There is one of your papers that I’ve read, _An exploration of mind_. It’s quite interesting, and you present a hypothesis of bringing back people’s memories. In your paper, you wrote, the memories are always there inside your brain, it’s just a matter of methods to retrieve it. And several proposals are listed on how it is possible to retrieve people’s memories. Have you done any experiment for this?” 

“Ah, that.” Alan sighs. “Robertson is not very interested in that; he wouldn’t ‘throw his research funding in water’, and I can’t afford to support the research myself.” He looks at Lex, “I suppose you may call it my pet project, but you already know Robertson’s lab doesn’t pay much, and the evening university’s research budget is next to none. Actually, this answers your earlier question. That’s why I am here. I need money, simple as that. I don’t mind fool around with filthily rich people for a while as long as it pays so well. Of course once I’ve got enough, I’d love to resume the research.”

“Then we can say we share a same aspiration.”

For the first time, Alan looks interested.

“Here is an offer,” Lex prompts. “I provide you enough equipments, facilities and budget, and you bring my memories back.”

Alan laughs, “Very tempting. Those memories must be worth a fortune. May I ask what the fineprint says?”

“No strings attached. I just want my memories. You can keep all your research data if you like.”

“What if I say no?”

“Why would you?” Lex is genuinely puzzled. “I’m giving you what you always dream of.”

“And you must be aware of my other… problems. Let’s just say that I had been in a similar situation, which didn’t turn out so well.”

“I am aware, at least a part of it, but I am not Robertson or any other researchers you’ve worked with. Besides, I’m powerful; whatever Robertson has on you will be irrelevant if you work for me.”

Alan smiles and walks over to where Lex stands, picks up a flute of Champaign. He clinks on Lex’s glass. “Then I have to say, you made me an offer I can’t refuse. Let’s seal it with a kiss.”

The kiss is as pleasant as Lex has expected.

*

Luthor name and money work magic again on settling deals. An hour later, they are in Lex’s Ferrari on the highway heading out Metropolis.

“Where are we going?” Alan is now dressed entirely in black.

“I’ve prepared everything already,” Lex speaks calmly, “We’re heading to the lab that I made ready for you.” 

“Not LuthorCorp’s Lab, I hope?”

“Nope. More likely my own lab; I don’t want my father breathing down my neck constantly. It’s close to Smallville. Have you been there before?” Lex glances at Alan.

“Not really. I haven’t been to many places.” Alan fixes his gaze at the scene spreading along the road.

“This has to remain a secret; you need to sign the non-disclosure agreement later, regardless of the high probability of ineffectiveness considering your identity.” Lex glances at Alan again, only finds him extending a hand out of window to catch the wind, “I’d get my hand back in if I were you. It’s still not too late, and things come out of nowhere in Smallville.”

Alan laughs, amused, then he obeys; he sits tight, turns to look out from Lex’s side, but soon loses interest in gazing into dark fields and starts to watch Lex carefully. Lex ignores him.

An abandoned building comes looming on the horizon; Alan points and asks, “That’s the one, isn’t it? I have a feeling that this is our destination?”

“Very observant. Yes, this is us.” Lex directs towards the building and stops his car, “Here we are.”

The building is only two stories high, wide enough for eight cars side-by-side, but the entrance they are using now is obscure, and only allow for one person at a time. Assorted empty barrels, working tables and benches litter the place, like an ordinary abandoned warehouse, but Lex doesn’t stop, he just goes forward. Alan follows.

“What was this place before?”

“Some kind of hangar back in the war days; the military moved out decades ago, and  it’s been abandoned since, left to rot on this remote site. Good for secrecy, although it was a bitch to renovate this place under wraps.”

They stop at a seemingly solid wall. Lex taps on a brick, and enters a code on the consequently appeared number pad. The wall starts to slide slowly, revealing an opening. Lex leads the way through.

“The main structure is surprisingly sturdy, still holds strong after so many years, and I like the ample space, makes it flexible to meet numerous needs.”

True to his words, Lex has numerous to show Alan. The scientist is introduced to all the facilities: the research quarter with three fully equipped labs for different experimental stages, the storage quarter for both experiment supplies and living supplies, the surveillance and maintenance quarter which almost run themselves with cutting-edges systems, and the residence quarter that provides more than enough comfort.  There’s even a tiny sauna booth and a nice patio under a large skylight. Alan has been looking at the stars through the glass since they stepped onto it.

“I only stocked the basic experiment supplies for now; just send me a list of your specific materials to this email address.” Lex produces a business card from his pocket. “Of course I’ll read through and evaluate first. The security code to get you in and out is this.” He scribbles down the number on the back of the card.

Alan huffs a little laugh; he takes the card from Lex, reads the information, and slowly burns it with a match. He hasn’t said anything since he got in the core area, and now he seems even reluctant to break his silence. Lex can see there’s anxiousness and silent curiousness, also something else on his mind. He considers  Alan from the side profile. Every geek or freak has their own weirdness, and this young man is no exception; he has this look of desperation, like a man who knows his time is running to an end. Somehow this face reminds him of someone, though he can’t tell who that is.

“I’ll have someone bring your personal stuff tomorrow morning; you can use the car in garage on your class days, or maybe I should say ‘class evenings’, to be precise. Anything to say before I leave?” Lex asks at last.

“I need a safe locker.”

“Sure. How large?”

“Don’t you want to know what it is for?”

Lex smirks amusingly. “You do realize that I’d keep the master code at hand, right?”

Alan turns to Lex and caresses his face lightly with a hypnotizing smile, “How I love a smart brain. You don’t have to go. How about stay with me and christen that very comfortable bed in my room?”

Lex takes Alan’s hand off of his face, but squeezes it a bit. “That’s not why I brought you here for. I assure you, all you need to deliver is a solution to retrieve my memories, no sexual favors needed. You have a bright mind, Alan, don’t make unnecessary compromises. Have some rest, tomorrow will be a busy day. I’ll visit you after dinner.”

When Lex gets up and goes, he thinks the anxiety and desperation emitting from Alan is visibly lessened.

*

Clark is getting more and more frustrated. He hasn’t seen Lex after dinner for days already. He hadn’t thought much the first time; but the next day, and every day after that, when he went to Lex’s manor, the security guy just told him that Lex was not “available”. It seems that Lex suddenly has no time for him.

There is not only frustration, if Clark is honest with himself. He has started to be suspicious, fearing that Lex is involved in some kind of trouble again, and he’s worried about him. So today after school, instead of going home for chores and dinner, he decides to head right into Lex’s office. There he is. Lex finally shows up in front of him. He steps right in front of Lex’s desk, and, ignoring Lex’s surprise, simply confronts him.

“I haven’t seen much of you these days. Where have you been, Lex?” Clark asks; he really hopes he doesn’t sound so accusing.

“Just some business, Clark, not too much a big deal.” Lex tips his head back slightly, suddenly looks uncertain, like he finds something on Clark’s face. “I’m sorry if I made you feel neglected.”

Guilt starts to bloom in Clark’s heart, but he can’t just let the question slide. “What kind of business, and why is it always at night?”

“Well, not really, sometimes I have to be away during day time as well. The business… Clark, I want to, no, I need to break my father’s hold on me, and it needs extra work to ensure this. After he put me under electroshock, I know it’s necessary.” There’s pain in Lex’s eyes, Clark can see he is still suffering, can almost feel Lex’s sorrow when he mentions that miserable experience, as if he himself underwent the ordeal. “I’m sorry to have you worried.”

Clark shakes his head, and goes around the desk to approach Lex. His hands are on both of Lex’s shoulders before he realizes. “And tonight, you have to go out again?” Clark asks Lex hesitantly.

Now Lex is patting Clark’s hand soothingly. “Well, I can stay and spend some time with you if you want me to…”

“No! I mean, you don’t have to… I mean, I want… I would like you to, but now I know you have business to take care of… I hate to bother you then. I was just worried that you were in some trouble… I’m glad that you are not.” _Awkward, Clark._ He thinks despairingly, and tries to give a convincing smile.

It’s a lie, though not all the way through. He still doesn’t really want to leave Lex alone. He’s still worried that Lex is hiding something from him, and that Lex is still trying to get his memories back, but he really hates to bother Lex. God knows how petty Lex finds Clark’s tenuous worries and mingling. That’s why he leaves Lex’s manor, not going home, but hiding behind tree and bushes, trying to follow Lex from afar when he comes out, and see where he is going.

The building now looms ahead is not unlike a flat cube. Thanks to his freakish eyesight, Clark is able to see the skillfully concealed gate. Time to call for X-ray vision then, and Clark is amazed that the building goes much further and contains much more than he originally thought. He sees how Lex get in behind the wall, and waits till Lex is far enough inside.Only then he dares sneak in, wondering if this is a secret place that even Lionel doesn’t know, and starts to feel more and more uneasy. Even if Lex is not in trouble now, trouble is bound to seek Lex out in such a place.

Once inside, he rushes forward and tries to keep quiet. He can hear Lex’s voice, and follows it, but it’s not the only voice, no; there is a much softer, and deeper voice.

Lex is talking to a man, a man who is flirtatious and totally at easy with Lex. Of course Lex would not be alone in this god-forsaken place, Clark thinks bleakly.

He speeds up his pace, and finds the room where Lex and the other man are, some kind of a lab. He lays low, and switches X-ray vision back on.

“What is this?” Lex holds up something like an ostrich egg, Clark is curious too.

“It’s from one of my friends.” The other man says, while playing with some of his tubes.

“A brain punctured with needles, very artistic. This friend of yours, who is he, a modern artist?”

“Not really, but he had talents in this area.”

“Maybe someday I’ll have the pleasure to meet him and discuss more of his art.”

The other man sighs. “He died, Lex.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Lex sounds sincere.

The man sighs again. “Thanks, I guess. How strange it is to thank somebody on things like this. And really, you don’t have to come here and monitor my work every night. Unless you have other ulterior purpose?” There’s definitely teasing in that question.

“Why, I’m making sure that my money doesn’t get wasted. Besides, you are not the only one who’s interested in the work of mind, and I can’t deny the company has its appealing to the eyes.” Clark’s sight suddenly turns red. So Lex finds this man “appealing”.

“You flatter.” Clark can almost sense the smile on that man’s face when he talks. “Now, to ensure your ‘investment’, I have good news. I made some progress today.” He grabs something like a syringe, and extract from something like an ampoule. “It’s a neuron stimulus. I have run the test on data model already. It should work, but it needs further testing.”

“I can be your volunteer.” Lex inserts firmly.

“Hmm. Could be dangerous.” That frivolous tone really gets on Clark’s nerves. The man is not even looking at Lex, instead he’s playing with a microscope.

“I don’t die easily.”

“So I have heard many times already, save your breath.”

Now Clark is shaking; he doesn’t know what Lex is doing with this man, but they seem to share a friendship close enough for them to banter. Lex is having a friendship with a man who Clark doesn’t know, and now he is about to inject whatever in that syringe into himself! Clark barely suppresses his urge to hit the door and smash in.

Lex holds up the syringe and poises the injection, and Clark decides to get in and stops him, readying himself to be blamed on whatever Lex wants to. But just before that, the man snatches the syringe out of Lex’s hand.

“God, I can’t believe you, Lex, it’s just not ready yet. You really shouldn’t stick whatever you are handed into yourself.” Rightfully said! Clark wants to clap for the man.

“Excuse me?”

The man gives a frustrated huff. “Lex, I like you and your style of ‘boldly go where no man has gone before’ a lot, I do, but why are you so reckless dealing with this problem of yours. Nobody can make such progress in such a short time! Go home. Right now your existence irritates me.”

“Fine, I’ll wait, but I want it ready quick. Don’t play tricks, or you’ll regret it.”

“Yeah, right, as if I am the one playing tricks here. You know what Lex, you can put some work in your threats.”

“I probably will, and I’ll try them on you next time.”

*

Lex takes his coat, opens the door and gets out. The hall is empty outside. He looks back, and sees Alan gazing at him. There’s that déjà vu again.

“Alan.”

“Yes?”

“Have we met before?”

“I don’t recall. Why?”

“It’s hard to explain. You… remind me of someone. I don’t know, don’t you have the same feeling?”

“Not really. Who is that ‘someone’?”

“I can’t put my fingers on it. It’s just this feeling. Anyway, I’ll visit you tomorrow. Hope I can remember who that ‘someone’ is by then.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Clar? Clark!” Chloe’s insistent prods on his rib finally caught his attention.

“Ou!” Clark fakes a wince and shakes his head, trying to clear his mind, “What is that for!”

Chloe frowns, “Clark, wake up, I need you focused here! You look like you’ve lost your soul. Didn’t catch enough sleep last night, huh?”

Yeah sure, like Clark has had much sleep the last several nights; he can't just tell Chloe that he followed Lex into his secret lab, and found out he had been meeting another man whom he obviously hid in there. Which makes Clark feel all hollowed out yet weighed down in a bottomless pit at the same time. For a second he is not sure if it was his overly active imagination or he really went there.

Two photos of Chloe in costumes appear before his eyes and are wavering. “Which one is better? I really like the Maleficent look, she’s kind of my first crush on powerful and strong-willed girl villains; but I don’t have those sharp cheek bones, and my coloring is all wrong. Guess I have to stick to being Aurora.” Chloe sighs dramatically.

“Oh, anything looks good on you, I guess. Why, you are gonna dress like this?”

Chloe delivers a big eye-roll, “That’s the purpose, right? It’s called a costume ball for a…” She suddenly stops mid-sentence and narrows her eyes. “You do remember the occasion right? Don’t you dare tell me that you forgot to pick a costume; I asked about it many times, Clark, and you promised that you ‘had it covered’! It’s taking place tomorrow!”

Now Chloe mentions it, Clark remembers. Crap, he thought he had enough time to get the costume done, and forgot the whole thing under the recent disasters.

“Wow, take easy. I… I just forgot it was due tomorrow.” He’s sweating under Chloe’s scrutiny, and hastily pastes on a bland smile. “I got distracted recently.”

Obviously Chloe has developed some resistance to his super-shiny smile. “So… now you remember, I hope you really have it covered.” She suddenly flaps down the photos and looks a tired. “Look, Clark, we don’t have to go, I know maybe you don’t want to with all the mess; just tell me now, don’t make me embarrassed by not showing up.”

Clark hates to see his friend suffer because of him, and is suddenly determined to get the costume sorted out. “Hey Chloe, don’t worry, OK? Everything is fine, I promise. Now I have to go; I forgot something at home! See you tomorrow!”

“Right, and it had better be good, O Prince.”

He needs some serious help!

*

“Lex!” The next minute, Clark is standing in Lex’s office.

“Clark, I haven’t seen you for days,” How Clark misses Lex’s grin, it’s wonderful to see it’s directed towards him. “What brings you here?”

If only he is not this desperate. “I need your help! There is a costume ball tomorrow night; Chloe has been expecting it for months and all wound up by now.” Clark stops to catch his breath, left hand grasping his hair. “And I forgot to prepare a costume. Jeez, I didn’t notice how time flied. If I don’t get the costume done by tomorrow, Chloe will be heartbroken, and then she’ll kill me.” The idea makes Clark look at Lex forlornly.

Lex laughs, “A challenging quest, but not unachievable. What kind of costume do you have in mind?”

“Um, the pictures that Chloe showed me, they are like fairy tales, Maleficent and Princess Aurora, and she said something about prince. But I don't feel like a prince; maybe I can be a knight instead?”

Lex smirks, amused, “There are a few suits of armor in the corridor, but I doubt they will fit you, even if the joints are not rusted over; maybe we can find a way around it. I have some ideas, though I doubt Main Street can provide fulfillment. Come, Clark, let’s go to Metropolis. I know a place where their expertise may be of great help.”

They barge into Metropolis in a little bit more than two hours; Lex, together with his convertible supercar and his driving style is obviously a famous sight, even more famous after his miraculous revival. People on streets turn their heads, following the car, staring at both of them; Clark even sees some tourists take out their cameras to take pictures. It makes him uncomfortable; Clark feels unsettled thinking there are photos of him and Lex being carried around by people he doesn’t know; he’s not really against the idea, but more like he doesn’t want other people to hold on to a piece of Lex.

“The gossip pages will be flooded with our pictures by tomorrow, with complementary articles rendering scandalous conspiracy.” Lex opens the glove compartment and drops a pair of sunglasses into Clark’s lap, “Maybe you’d like to wear these.”

“Can’t you pick another car that doesn’t attract so much attention?”

“All my cars are conspicuous. Besides, I attract attention.” Lex gives a guileless shrug.

Clark considers at the glasses suspiciously for a while, then puts them on anyway. Soon Lex maneuvers the car into a quiet area and stops in front an undistinguished shop which has a large window showcasing a single mannequin with a suit of various patched fabric. Just before they step into the door, Lex’s phone rings. He takes a look, “Sorry, Clark, I have to take this. You go in first and give me five minutes.”

A plump old man with a jolly face bustles out when the bell on door jingles, tape measure around his neck, but when he sees Clark, he smiles apologetically, “I’m sorry, sir, but I’m afraid we have our hands quite full right now, we can’t really take any walk-ins. May I ask who recommended us?”

Clark flushes, embarrassed. “Oh, Lex just brought me here; he’s taking a phone-call out there. It’s OK, I’m sure he will think of something else…”

The old man glances at Lex’s unmistakable profile through the window, and turns an amicable smile on Clark. “In that case, we are always glad to welcome Master Lex’s friend, Mr.…?”

“Call me Clark, please.”

“Sure, Clark, I’m David. What’s the occasion? Here, have a seat.” He encourages.

The armchair is really comfortable, and Clark starts to relax. “I need something that matches my dance date’s dress.” Before he has time to further explain, Lex walks in. Clark smiles automatically.

“Master Lex! Didn’t see you for a while; glad to know you haven’t forgotten us.” David’s enthusiasm is a sight, “You finally bring your date here, Miss Lilian would have been so very, very happy.”

“What? No!” Clark is taking on the hue of a tomato, “Lex is not my date.”

And Lex just starts to laugh, no help at all. If he sounds a bit hysterical, Clark must have imagined it.

Looking confused, David sputters, “I’m terribly sorry, but… Clark, I thought you said ‘dance date’? I shouldn’t have taken liberty in assumption… my apologies, Master Lex.”

Lex’s laugh, thankfully, now calms down to chuckle. He shakes head. “It’s fine, David. Clark here is my best friend, and he needs to attend a costume ball with his date tomorrow. Your skill is urgently needed.”

David nods obligingly, “Very well, sir.” He takes a careful look at Clark’s building, and then runs around the shop gathering garments as Lex calls out:

“I’m thinking about a masked vigilante, something like Zorro; a silk shirt, loose fitting but with tailored wrist cuffs; a pair of nice riding breeches and boots; a cape, maybe you have an opera coat with red silk lining lying around? That’ll do. Throw in a hat and that Venetian mask, all in black, and we are done. I believe only minimal fittings are needed?”

The next hour is filled with changing, measuring and marking. It must be fun for Lex to see Clark getting in and out of the dressing room, just to see him put on different pieces of clothing, as he is now lounging on the sofa, sipping a cup of tea, occasionally delivers comments or chats with David. Clark hopes Lex is enjoying his time, as he himself has to stand there, bolding still, and being prodded at various places.

Finally, David conducts a final fitting with the whole set, every piece of garments carefully pinned to Clark’s sizes. Clark turns with a flourish, “How do I look, Lex?”

Lex’s eyes appear glazed over; for a second he gaped at Clark, but he soon recovers, back to his charming self. “Now that’s my rogue cavalier,” Lex says appreciatively, and upon seeing Clark’s blush, he teases, “even a duchess or a real queen will be attracted, let alone Chloe.”

“A fine young man, if I do say so myself.” David gives a slight cough, a notebook opened in one hand. “Excuse me, Master Lex, I still need a few hours to have the whole set adjusted. Shall we arrange a delivery at noon tomorrow?”

Lex nods, taking the book over. “That will be wonderful, thank you David, for helping us out at the last minute. You know where to send the documents, I’ll drop her a note, and please deliver to this address.” He scribbles and signs in the notebook.

“Yes, David, thank you so much, and thank you too, Lex, you are the best!” Clark gives in and envelopes Lex into a hug; he can hear Lex’s heart flutter in his chest. Somehow, this makes Clark even happier.

*

If Metropolis’s newspaper front pages are flooded with scandals the next day, at least they don’t reach Smallville. By the time Clark goes home after school, David’s delivery is already waiting for him on the porch. Lex even had somebody send over a fencing foil on belt to complete the whole look.

On their way back to Smallville yesterday, Lex told him that David was the tailor of his mother’s family; Lex had visited David’s shop with her many times when he was young, and considered him a dear friend. This little show of intimacy still makes Clark feel warm inside; he’s aware that this is something important, Lex doesn’t share things important to him easily.

When he comes downstairs all dressed up, Martha’s eyes brighten up; she pats on Clark’s shoulder proudly, and presses a kiss on his forehead. “Have fun, handsome.”

Pete comes over and gives him a ride. He spots Chloe waiting for him in front of the entrance to the main hall; she’s gorgeous in an ornate azure dress, hair in an elegant roll intertwined with light lavender ribbons, almost glows in aurora lights, definitely in character. But the similarity ends there; she is already impatient, anticipating. Lowering his head to hide a bashful smile, Clark sneaks upon Chloe’s back, touches her shoulder, and bows as she turns around, a big grin pasted on face. He is quite smug of Chloe’s amazement.

“Well, what do you think?” Clark prompts.

Chloe hugs Clark and gives him a kiss on the cheek, “Why you dashing rascal, tonight we’ll gonna be huge!”

True to her words, they make a huge entrance. Everyone notices them, even the light technician directs the spotlight on them. Chloe proudly takes Clark’s arm, her dress swishing excitedly, and waves to her girlfriends, who are whispering to each other while keeping their eyes on Clark.

Clark, on the other hand, starts to feels a bit nervous for being the center of everyone’s attention. It’s just so different to what he felt in David’s shops, when it’s Lex’s attention on him; he was nervous without doubt, but it was also satisfying, he even cherished it after days without seeing Lex, worrying about the-man-in-the-lab.  Now he remembers the lab, he suddenly wants to go back there, and see if Lex will be there tonight. Maybe he will find out more about the-man-in-the-lab.

He doesn’t really pay attention to what was happening around him until Chloe pinches him, and whispers urgently, “Clark, is something bothering you?”

“Sorry, Chloe, I was just, um, distracted.”

Chloe huffs. “Yeah, by what, I wonder.” She suddenly grows suspicious. “It’s not Lana, is it?”

“What? No! Come on, Lana is not even here.”

Chloe pats his hand gingerly, “Sorry, sorry, I wasn’t accusing you. Come on, spill. I might give you a whole new perspective.”

Clark sighs. “It’s Lex. I think he’s going to get in trouble again with someone dangerous.”

“I thought you are OK with him? Your costume all but have Lex’s fingerprint on them. Did he say anything yesterday?”

“Nope, yesterday was so great that I didn’t have heart to mention this. You see, I confronted him about it several days ago, and he assured me that it’s no big deal, just work, but I feel uneasy anyway. Besides, the man he’s ‘working’ with, there’s something unnerving about him.”

“Why, you’ve met him?”

“Just this once, and I just saw him from afar, but I don’t like him. He’s harmful to Lex, even if not intentionally.” Clark insists.

“Ooh, harsh, and a bit hasty to draw the conclusion. Why do you think he’s dangerous?”

“He’s doing some kind of experiments for Lex, and you know how Lex always ends up with these experiments. The substance they are experimenting with looks dangerous enough. But Lex likes him, he even trusts him in such a short time; I need to watch out for Lex.”

Chloe now looks him out of her corners of eyes. “Am I sensing jealousy here? Surely Lex knows how to protect himself after being through with his father.”

“Chloe! Don’t mess with me. And he’s been careless, and he can be hurt if he’s not careful.” He raises his head, and finds Chloe looking at him, full of understanding.

“Go.” she says, “Go talk to Lex.”

Clark just stares at Chloe. “What?”

“You are no use here, Clark. I’m a big girl; I know how to have fun. At least, we made this year’s most impressive entrance.”

Clark hesitates a bit, then nods. He wraps his arms loosely around Chloe and hugs her lightly. “I’ll make up to you, I promise.”

“Sure. Chivalry is not dead tonight; keep those who are important to you safe.”

Clark takes a step back and bows deeply, playing this role for the last time tonight. Then he turns and leaves.


	3. Chapter 3

Lex rushes into the laboratory, excited.

“You said there’s good news?” He takes off his coat and throws it onto a random stool. “Don’t you think the temperature is a little too chilling?”

“You come right away? I’m so touched, though I have to admit I expected no less.” Alan is rearranging glass slides of samples littering around the microscope.

“I don’t take this slightly. Show me.”

“OK, no rush, it’s not going anywhere.” Alan goes take out a syringe of liquid from the freezer. The substance inside glows like ruby, casting red light on his hands, and seems to keep swirling infinitely.

“This is it?” Lex asks.

“Yes. The alpha version.”

“Do I need to be concerned about the ingredients you chose? I hope there’s no red meteor rocks involved, against all odds? At least I didn’t see them on your material list.”

“You see, this is the tricky part: your DNA was permanently altered by the meteor rocks, which means I have to use some to trigger reactions in you nervous system in a cellular level. I’m so happy with this variation, the results are most interesting. In a way it only works on you, it’s delicately calibrated according to your gene code.”

“Makes sense. How do you get this anyway?”

“I’d like to keep this as a secret; I have my ways.”

“Very well. How long will it take effect?”

“Instantly. Of course you know there’re all kinds of anomalies popping up in this phase. The chemical should stimulate your neuron connections, and your senses will become more sensitive. There’s even a possibility of biased judgment, you might see and feel things more sensually than usual, but I took special care to temper down the red meteor rock’s strength, it should ease off shortly. As far as I know, that’s the only side effect. I will record the electromyography carefully and adjust the stimulus if you don’t feel well.”

Lex lost interest in the middle of Alan’s jabbering; a flicker of finger and the serum is swiftly injected, but nothing could have prepared him for what he’s feeling now. Abruptly, the vestiges of memories start to appear one after another.

_The fragrance of ambergris and bergamot, surely a scent he caught on someone, but who?_

_The wetness and coolness of a sudden summer rain on his skin, and when was that?_

_The disbelief of finding out something terrible committed by his father, though what?_

_The impossible pain, and a strange abandonment of a constant struggle, something he hates so much that he almost trained himself to enjoy it, maybe to avoid more pain. He has some very vague idea of how he came to accept that particular fact..._

Like a faucet that refuses to shut off, his memories are rushing back, but they flash like fragments in a streaming flow, only leaving impressions behind, and too broken to be put back into a whole. It’s still a fascinating experience; in Lex’s mind, he flies again, everything is familiar, reassuring, even with a painful memory. _I was not crazy,_ he thinks, _These are what father wants to hide from me, what I lost._ He wants more, the ones implying his father’s crime which holds the most promise, or the ones about a certain farm boy that makes his heart aches. Yet there’s such liberation, it’s mesmerizing, it’s almost euphoria, and it makes his head swim. Is he the one who’s moaning? He must have stumbled. Alan has him, puts him in a couch, and now Alan is so very near. His hand is on Lex’s nape, while he leans in to press a kiss, a soft and warm feeling grows into his chest. He has an eerie feeling that it was his mother Lilian who is coming closer to him. But the memory flow stops almost as abruptly as it began, and Lex sobers up enough to push against Alan’s chest, stopping him.

“That’s… first rate work. You are truly gifted; I appreciate it, a lot.” Lex sits up. “The serum needs improving; this time, my memories are too fragmented, separated, and it stops too soon. Fix this, I’ll give you anything I can,” Lex turns to Alan and strokes his face tenderly, “Except this. Now let’s call it a night.”

For a second, Alan hesitates, he smiles leisurely, “What a shame. I am good, you know.”

A glance before Lex leaves the room. A flashback again rushes into his mind, it's his mother. He finally understands why he thought he has met Alan before. The space between them freezes, Alan's silhouette gradually merges into his mother Lilian.

“Mother?” Lex suddenly calls out un-self-consciously, another flow of memories rushing through him.

Alan’s eyes snap back to Lex instantly, his gaze alert. He takes a deep breath and starts to systematically speculate the air around them.

“What did you just call?” His voice nonchalant, yet there’s a slight tremble underneath.

“I… I don’t… it’s like something long forgotten is coming back.” Lex replies dazedly; his mind is still brimming with tiny fragments of memories, that he feels like looking into a dream. “Or someone.”

He suddenly starts awake and sees Alan, who's frozen there. It’s like he’s seeing Alan in a whole new light. Jesus, he should have recognized those cheek bones, or the exquisite chin. He uncertainly touches Alan’s shoulder, trying to turn Alan around with the same watchfulness he would give some startled animal. What he didn’t expect is that Alan decisively knocks Lex's hand away and grabs a scalpel on the table, holding it in front of himself. Lex quickly retrieves his hands, wishing to appease him. Such over-reaction is even more confusing while his mind is trying uselessly yet persistently to sort the shimmering memory fragments out, his subconscious spitting out more unrelated details. Now he knows that somehow, there’s a connection between him and Alan, and knows that of whom Alan’s delicate, almost-female bone structure reminds him.

“I have nothing to do with your mother.” Alan’s visibly trembling now, while laughing uncontrollably. “Maybe that’s because _your father_ ,” the words are almost spitted out, “didn’t want anything to do with her.” His free hand grabs his own hair, another bout of laughing starts. “Apparently I’m too good for my own good; who could tell that the serum would work like this.”

“Alan, please, my father doesn’t even know this place exists. You are safe here.” Suddenly, Lex knows. “He’s the one you are afraid of.” It’s not a question.

“NO!” Alan  angrily pounds his fist with the scalpel on the thick steel table top, which crumbles like tin foil, and the scalpel handle scrunches in his hand—

A mutant, Alan Aubaine is a mutant. Who has great strength and is now very agitated.

Diversion seems to be the most feasible solution right now.

“My father, you know I’m not on his side, and you are important to me. I protect those who are important to me. I promised that I would protect you, didn’t I, Alan? Haven’t I delivered all my promises?” Lex approaches slowly, holding up both hands in the most unthreatening manner he can manage. With a final step, he wraps his hands around Alan’s trembling fist.

The scalpel drops on the floor with a clatter, and Alan drops onto the same stool he was sitting on moments ago, a look of quiet resignation replaces the rage. “You don’t know what you have before you, Lex. To be honest, even I don’t know what you have before you.” A humorless huff escapes him. “Not wholly, at least. When you are so afraid of something, you’d rather run away from it than find out what it really is.” he raises his eyes. “Are you having second thoughts about my ‘employment’ right now?”

Lex shakes his head. “I wasn’t lying. You are important to me right now, and I’ll find out what happened to you.” He smirks. “Besides, your serum works wonders.”

“Told you your investment was worth it. Sorry for the table by the way, I haven’t lost control like that for a long time. Damn, I lost the thread of a hypothesis in my mind, it was there just now.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. This, I really can’t help you with.”

Although Alan has calmed down considerably, Lex can still sense the tremor beneath. He sighs. “Take some rest; we’ll finish this conversation some other time. God knows there’s a lot I’d like to ask you.”

Alan nods. “I’m not so sure it’s a good idea, but I’ll leave the worry for another day. See you, Lex.” He turns his back to the ruined table, and starts to tinker with some formula on computer.

Lex considers Alan’s features for a minute, then dips his head and leaves. The door whooshes closed behind him.

Back in his car, he makes a phone call.

“Sir?" A woman picks up.

“Mila, when you found Alan Aubaine, did you know anything of my father’s interference in his background?”

“Er, no sir, I wasn’t aware of this. Though his records are too clean to be true.”

“Do a search in LuthorCorp’s database, especially the encrypted information concerning mutants and clones. I want all data about him, reports, pictures, videos, everything. Don’t forget the archives. How long will it take?”

“I’d need one day.”

Lex looks at his watch, “Half day, I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon.”

*

The sound of the door opening breaks the rhythms of Alan’s typing.

“Forgot something, Lex?” Alan didn’t even look back at the door to see who that is.

“Good evening, my pet.” It’s Lionel Luthor’s dry voice. 

Time slows down, and Alan is petrified; he loses his balance and no matter how hard he tries, he falls from the chair.

“You’ve always feared to see me, little Aubaine.” Lionel squads beside a very aghast Alan. “I gave you the name, and gave you a part of my own flesh and blood; you are my awaited gift, and I am your God, why do you fear this reunion?”

“You… How did you come here?”

“Oh c’mon, I own LuthorCorp. May I remind you that technically speaking, you are also a property of LuthorCorp?” Lionel is caressing Alan’s cheek, almost in the same way Lex did before, “I’ve known where you were, all the time, but I never bothered you. Believe me, if I wanted you dead, you’d never have had a chance to live. I spared you; I’ve shown my mercy. You should have just kept away, why come back and approach my only son now? To take revenge on me? Or because you are afraid that I’d change my mind and eventually kill you? Oh, yes, because I’m the only one who’s capable of doing that. When I call you this name: Julian.”

Alan gasps, he starts to have great pain inside his brain. The pain is like thousands of needles piecing into his skin, his greatest fear begins again. No matter how many times he has suffered from it, he could never get through it. It is unimaginable, only the one who experienced it knows how agonizing it can be.

“Glad to see the name still works, a nice trigger, don’t you think? To make sure one cannot kill his creator. I liked you, once I even believed you could truly become a family member. But you are not a Luthor, you are a looter! Always tried to escape, always tried to steal my technology. How did it feel like to kill everyone in the lab? I bet you enjoyed it immensely.” Lionel grabs a hold of Alan’s hair, keeps his head up. “I bet you also enjoyed your days at the brothel immensely, no? You whore. Why are you here? What is your scheme? Or is there anything I don’t know between you and Lex? Tell me, maybe I will let you live for a second time.” A gun appears from nowhere, and Lionel points it at Alan’s head. “Yes, good boy, just tell me. Give me a reason, Alan, that’s your new name, isn’t it? Why, you should stop using a human’s name because you are not one!”

Alan struggles to get up, hand fumbling on anything and everything on the desk that can be a weapon. The corner desk starts to cover by frost, it’s one of Alan’s ability. Lionel shoots Alan’s hand, with a cry out, the white frost is now shattered in red.

“What a brave boy, still try to fight back when you are such a mess?” He looks at Alan’s wounded hand, it’s covered by blood, but the wound is already knitting closed. “Julian. What a miracle, no matter how many times I have seen it, it’s still fascinating to me how fast you can heal.” He looks around the desk, which leads Lionel to discover the crystal brain on the desk.

“Oh, it’s from Vivant, right? He knew your pain,” Lionel taps the barrel on Alan’s head, “Your needle-in-the-brain is still the stroke of art as the day I put it there.” Lionel grabs Alan’s wrist, and pulls him against the desk, petting Alan’s hair. “It’s always there. Like a mockery to your healing power. I never understand why you liked Vivant. But he was merely an experiment, he lived to be dead.” He slaps Alan with his gun. “Now tell me!”

Alan squints at Lionel, “Fuck you, Lionel.”

“I have always wondered, if I blow your head will you still form it back? Maybe I should just try it now.”

“No better time than now.” Alan laughs.

Lionel pulls the trigger. Alan’s mind is starting his flashbacks of lives, and—

He wakes up, a man, or should he say a boy, who he has never seen before, is still shaking him.

“Hey are you OK? You were thrashing and groaning, looking really distressed.”

“What? How did you get in, and who are you?”

“Umm, I have my ways and my reasons. I’m Clark Kent, by the way. I’m Lex’s friend.”

Alan can easily discern this Kent boy’s pride in claiming Lex as “friend”, and takes a good look at him; the boy is wearing a costume. A knight coming out of nowhere, chasing away a nightmarish Lionel. Seems a worthy friend of Lex’s.

For a second Alan is stuck in his mind, he looks Clark up and down as Clark looks at him in the same way. The boy in front of Alan has a body in great shape, raven hair and splendid green eyes, innocent beauty, vigorous and a very model of masculinity. Alan faintly smiles, as if to mock himself. He’s too different from Alan, no wonder he fails no matter how he tried to seduce Lex. He can easily see how this boy feels about Lex from his eyes. 

“I see that’s why.” The words are a murmur for Alan himself.

“What’s why?” Clark is confused. So he has good hearing, Alan muses.

“Nothing, I’m talking to myself.” Alan replies drily.

“And may I ask your name?”

“Alan Aubaine.”

“That’s a strange surname.”

Alan smiles. “That’s exactly what Lex said to me the night we met each other. One of my best nights ever.”

Clark feels a pang of jealousy, and sniff a bit of hostility, but he chalks it up to Alan’s agitation. He inspects Alan too, trying to figure out why Lex trusts this man so easily. He can see Alan’s eyes are the same shade of Lex’s, and sometimes his expression has this uncanny resemblance to Lex. An extra X-ray vision scan also reveals a needle in his brain. Mind control is the first thing that comes into his mind. Clark dares not to guess the relationship between him and Lex, but at least he knows that this man called Alan carries more history with the Luthor Family than he expected. He looks around, and eyes the crumbled and frosted table top and scalpel carefully, “What happened? What do you do here?”

Alan looks at him incredulously, “What, Lex told you this place, but he didn’t tell you who I am and what it is for?”

Clark doesn’t really know how to answer this question. He chooses not to answer; instead he scans through the place using his X-ray vision. Besides the crystal brain on the desk, he finds a small phial of liquid that glowing red in the freezer. That has to be what Alan and Lex talked about the other day, describing it as “could be dangerous”. He uses his full speed to take and put it in his own pocket in a flash, swifter than a blink of an eye.

“Hello? Anybody home?” Alan calls him.

“What? Oh! No he didn’t, ah… I don’t really know why. He mentioned this place as an eerie place.”

“An eerie place?”

“…eh, yeah and he didn’t elaborate. Do you feel the cold?” Cold never bothers Clark anymore, but he can feel the cold now. Strange. He rubs his hands on both of his arms.

“Oh, I set the temperature a bit lower than usual; there’s only me here, and I like it a bit cold.” Alan goes to the control panel on wall and check the setting. “Why are you here anyway?”

Clark decides to back down, any further lies will make things go worse, he already feels sorry for telling Alan lies.

“I just… I was hoping to find Lex here, need to talk to him. He comes here all the time these days, I rarely spend time with him anymore… But I see he left early. Are you OK?” Clark switches the topic.

“Just a bit shaken. You are a real hero, saving me from my own nightmare.” Alan’s flirtatious smile is back with full force.

Clark blushes. “It’s really nothing. Umm, I guess I should get going...”

“Could you stay a bit longer? I’m still shaken. And did Lex ever mention me before?” Alan’s eyes pin Clark down like spot-lights.

“No, not really, he’s keeping this place as a big secret. What happened with that table?” Clark gestures.

Alan shrugs. “Lab accidents, you know what it’s like. Lex must trust you a lot to tell you about this place.” He pats Clark’s hand suggestively.

 _Except he didn’t,_ Clark thinks bleakly, _and I’ve never seen a lab accident leaves hand mould on scalpel handles, and why is he touching me like this?_ Clark snatches his hand back. He really can’t imagine what will happen if he stays with Alan longer, there’s something in Alan that makes him feel uncomfortable.

“I really should get going, it’s getting late….”

“Hey you know what, I have an idea! We should hang out more, as we are both Lex’s ‘friends’. I’m giving lecture at the Met evening university every friday night; I actually teach there.” Alan grabs a card from the desk, “Neuropsychology,” He points to his own head, “interested? If you attend, we can talk some more after that. ”

Clark takes the card, he decides to take this challenge, “Sure." He reads the card, "Friday night, right? I’ll be there.” He waves goodbye and flees.


	4. Chapter 4

Clark doesn’t find Lex in Luthor Manor either. By the time he gets back home, the frustration and slight anger have made him seriously doubt his decision of leaving Chloe at the ball; but a big surprise awaits him: Jonathan tells him Lex is waiting for him in the loft in the barn .

“Lex?” There he is, standing by the window and looking at the sky. Clark doesn’t know if he’s happy that Lex still deigns to visit him.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it? The night sky. I never saw so many stars back in Metropolis.”

“Lex! I have been looking for you all night. Where have you been?” Clark ignores Lex’s question.

“Why, I’ve been here, waiting for you.” Lex turns back, and sees Clark in his full glory. He smiles appreciatively.

However Clark is having difficulty containing his annoyance; he also has this urge to be near to Lex, so he yields, approaching Lex, hope to see his slightest expression. “We both know it’s not the whole truth.”

“Enlighten me, Clark, if you are so sure about the truth. Where have I been tonight?”

Clark grunts, and holds onto Lex’s shoulder. “Please, Lex, don’t do this to me. You’ve estranged me for weeks now, and I’ve been so worried. Then yesterday, we had such a good time, I was almost relieved, but today I couldn’t find you anywhere… It’s like I can’t find you ever again!”

Lex’s grasp onto Clark’s hand is so tight; Clark is sure that if he’s normal, his fingers might be splintered. Lex’s eyes are stormy, but he doesn’t release Clark, and this little fact makes Clark feel a little better.

“Is it the only reason? Is this why you followed me there, Clark?”

Clark is not too surprised that Lex already knows, “So, he called you, I guess.”

“Who?”

“The man you’ve been seeing these days, Alan Aubaine.”

“No, he didn’t. The truth is, that I have him under surveillance. That’s how I saw you there, Clark, both times.” Lex is still clutching his hand like a vice. Clark is not sure if it’s his illusion or it’s reality that the light in the room darkened.

“I knew about you from the very beginning, Clark.” Lex’s voice softens. Whether it’s because of anger or disappointment, Clark is not sure. “I’ve been waiting for you to admit it yourself.”

Clark’s mind blanks; for years he tried hard to protect this secret, hard enough that he wished Lex would stop looking for his memories. Now Lex knows, at least he knows everything happened in that laboratory, and there’s an odd sense of relief coursing through Clark.

“It is a matter of time, I thought at first; afterwards, I pushed it down, for you already brought what I wanted most into my life. But later I realized it’s more of a matter of choice, your choice; I thought if I show you my patience, surely you would choose to trust me. Now I know even better. You wouldn’t make that choice, not for me, not ever. It’s torturing both of us, so I release you from the dilemma. It’s OK, Clark, it’s totally fine. See, you are free to choose what you want, and I, I’m determined to find what I lost.”

 _What is he talking about?_ Clark is in a daze. _Did Lex just tell me that he doesn’t want me in his life anymore?_ But Lex is still clutching his hand like a dying man with his last hope. His hand is cold, so cold, and Clark is doomed to feel the damned coldness tonight. He can’t bear it anymore, and he does what he’s been wanting for some time now; he envelopes Lex into an embrace.

“No! Lex, listen to me, please! There were many times I wanted to let you know. I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry! I hope it’s not too late to say it.” Under the moonlight, Lex is like a sculpture, a slightly frowning sculpture. The warmth of the embrace doesn’t touch him. Clark feels like he’s holding an ice cube, and he starts to worry that actually, it is too late, and Lex might not accept his apology.

“You don’t have to apologize.” Lex’s frown disappeared, and the smile he directs at Clark is all wrong, “really, it must be difficult for you too, besides, who doesn’t have a secret or two?”

Lex tries to step out of the embrace, but Clark wouldn’t allow it. He loosens his arms, though still has Lex in there.

“Is that laboratory your secret now? What is it for?”

Lex shakes head exasperatedly, “To develop something that can be used against my father. I know he committed some horrible crimes. I just need a path to find out what they are.”

“And that man, Alan Aubaine, another secret?”

“He is my key to success, Clark, but the whole thing is not about him.”

“Well, he sure does keep himself mysterious.”

“Do you believe in aliens?” Lex switches the topic as suddenly as always, and this time, he manages to move out of Clark’s frozen fingers, out of reach.

“I… I guess I do.” So Lex might mistakenly think he’s just another mutant, and Clark is torn with this realization.

“Me too. This belief makes me feel not so alone. Do you know why I’m so eager to get my memories back?”

“Even though it is dangerous and may hurt you?”

"I've been losing things all my life, my brother, my mother, my father’s… esteem; he never understands me, instead he spies on me, steals from me. And I never had a friend. Somehow, deep in my heart, I fear to lose anything else, probably more than anyone. Winning in business is not enough, Clark, I always win, and it’s just money; it's so empty when there's a blank in my mind. Every time I think of the nightmare in Belle Reve, I feel like I’m sunken into an abyss. Now there’s a chance that I can get them back, I can’t let it go. Why do I have to bring my memory back? To prove that I lived, and that I’m still alive, and I push right back at the attempt to push me, that’s why no matter how much it costs, I must find them back.”

The pent-up emotions make Lex shake at the end, and Clark doesn’t have anything to say; he just gazes at Lex, wishing he has the strength to protect Lex from all that turmoil.

Lex visibly controls himself, a deep breath brings him back to calm. “I’ll finish this project. I trust Alan, because he’s a genius, and he’s in my protection.”

“There’s something more about him. You two… you look alike.”

Lex looks at Clark, as if it’s news to him. “In what way?”

Clark shrugs, approaching Lex again, hoping he’s being stealthy enough. “Just a general feeling; and the two of you, your eyes are the same color.”

The surprise becomes even more obvious in Lex’s eyes, and a slight smile appears. “I can’t believe you notice things like this.” But he sobers up quickly. “I myself noticed some likeliness. That and Alan’s great fear of my father both need a look-into. I’ve already had people on that.”

“Let me help, Lex, I want to help!”

Lex moves to the couch, putting distance between him and Clark again, and looks at him with puzzlement. “You are not making any sense all night, Clark. These are the unsavory parts evolving around me, which you always choose to avoid.”

“Don’t you see, Lex, this is my choice now! I’m choosing you. You are my… my best friend.”

Lex considers him for several minutes. When he finally nods, it’s like a mountain lifted from Clark’s chest that he stumbles into the couch with imbalance.

“I have to warn you that my father has a lot of dark secrets. Walk down this path at your own risk.”

“Gladly. Do you know that Alan holds lectures on Friday?”

“Yeah, a proper genius teaching night school, does the society great service, why?”

Clark takes out the card. “See, he invited me. Wanna come along?”

Lex hesitates, so Clark nudges his shoulder. “For me, please? Without you there, I might only comprehend about ten words.”

“Smart ass. Alright, I could use a talk with Alan afterwards anyway.” This time, Lex’s smile feels right again, there’s warmth in it.

“Clark!” It’s Jonathan’s voice. “Don’t stay outside for too long!”

“So, I’ll eh… see you on Friday?”

“Sure, see you after school, and the dinner’s on me.” Lex gently pats Clark’s shoulder before he gets up, and moments later, his car roars away.

That night, before Clark sleeps, he observes the syringe that he “stole” from Alan’s laboratory for a long time. It is of a rich red color, and the liquid inside whirling ceaselessly, as if trying to find a way out.

 _And Lex willingly shot this into his own body._ Clark shudders at this thought; this thing in his hand is evil to him, looking sinister, and he fears for Lex. He wishes he can find out more about Alan and protect Lex from whatever danger he poses.

*

To act on his claim to help Lex solve the mystery of Alan Aubaine, Clark is now sitting in Torch’s editorial room and plunging into the vast digital sea that is the internet, but Google only turns up Alan’s lecture schedule, and now Clark has no idea how to proceed.

“Oh hi, Clark, what’s up, and where’s Chloe?” Lana appears by the door.

“Hey Lana?” Clark is a bit surprised. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Thought you were on your way to Paris?”

“Yeah, actually, this is my last week in Smallville. Can’t wait to see the City of Light! Are you waiting for Chloe?”

“Nah, she’s doing some interview I think, with the new guy from Grandville.” Lana’s appearance makes him nervous; he switches the search page to the browser’s home page, “Hey Lana, do you know any reliable search engine other than Google? I’m looking for information about real life mysteries, but hit a brick wall. Any advice helps I suppose.”

“Hmm...” Lana ponders, “never know you’d take an interest in mysteries; there’s this website that I frequently visit. Here, take a look.” She comes over and types in an address: general-occult.com.

The site looks like your standard load of weirdness, though considering Lana’s fondness to macabreness, Clark shouldn’t be surprised. “Wow, that’s… something very different.”

Lana nods enthusiastically, “Mysteries, urban legends, supernatural occurrences, you name it. Even if your search turns up no result, the site will provide suggestions of connected searches. Go on, give it a try.”

Has nothing to lose, Clark guesses. He types in “LuthorCorp”, no result, but sure enough, there is an article appearing in the “people who searched LuthorCorp also searched” section: A Ghost in Lab. He clicks on, and there, in the middle of the article, is a surveillance still of poor quality. The article itself is cliché, stating that a research team worked in a lab that was supposedly cursed, and one team member went missing, still people claimed to see him around, same old same old. The anomaly comes from the picture, an obvious dark spot, and the article claims that it’s the ghost of that missing man.

Uneasiness floods in Clark’s heart, and he forces himself to stay calm. A closer look of the picture, and he sees Alan there, right in the center. Even if it’s only a blur, the face’s general shape and the body language are the same as Alan’s, only his hair is short. On the upper right corner of the picture, just as what the article says, is a dark spot, sucking up and distorting light around it.

“A ghost in lab, wooo, sounds creepy.” Lana jokes, “I know this story. It caused quite a bit of stirring among girls, because of this one in the middle; he is obviously good-looking, you see. To be honest, I find this picture very enchanting, I wonder who he is.” Lana points to Alan, and continues, “I can see he has some supernatural aura there, maybe he’s a ghost too? Just kidding! I believe there’s some truth in this story; everybody knows LuthorCorp is capable of creating these eerie things. Why, Clark, you are all pale. You are not scared, are you? By the way, do you want to know what’s my favorite article?”

“I can’t decide.” Well, he decides on the idea of getting out of here, if only he has the resolve to flee Lana, who starts to type on the keyboard and clicks on one article, and shows it to Clark.

“This one.” She says, “On the north-east of Metropolis, there’s a section of highway, used to be an open road, but has been abandoned for a while now after breaking down. Government tried to repave and open it again, but whatever they tried, the road just kept cracking. The cost went too high and they were forced to leave it be; in the end, this section detached from main road, and now it leads to nowhere. Few people really visited there, but some of them visited after the sunset, and they hear a voice calling them to keep going, even if there’s no road ahead of them. Isn’t it fascinating, I would love to pay it a visit someday. You are welcome to come along, Clark.”

Clark only mutters a weak “I’ll pass.” Lana, meanwhile, is not discouraged at all.

“You know what, they say the lab in the ghost story was only one block away from this section. Maybe something evil resides there.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Clark desperately tries to switch the topic, “I’ll just… print that lab picture.”

“I see, you prefer ghost stories. Next time, let’s visit the cemetery; I have some wonderful stories to share.”

“Yeah, till next time, Lana.” Clark goes to pick up the print and runs home; Lana’s taste of outing is certainly too unique. Wait till he tells Lex about this.

*

Surprisingly, for such a dull topic, Alan’s lecture room is full of people. Mostly women, and more than a few flamboyant-dressed young men. Clark can hear the girls, and those boys as well, talking about Alan’s good looks; some of them even spot him and Lex, and are now happily speculating their relationship. No wonder the Inquisitor sells so well. Lex, on the other hand, just ignores them completely and seems at his very ease.

Alan commands attention once he starts to speak. To Clark it’s like a performance show, and Alan is very good at controlling it. Alan gave him a nod upon seeing him, and for a moment, he wishes his future university professors will be like Alan. Pity that Alan’s speech is like Greek to Clark; a sideway look confirms that Lex is focused and enjoying himself, maybe when Lex retells the speech in his own way, Clark will understand better.

The door is burst open out of the blue, and two policemen rushes in. They flash their badges to Alan.

“Alan Aubaine, you are under arrest for murder of Ashley Birkin. You have the right to remain silent…” The officer rattles away on his rights.

Clark and Lex stares. Alan is shocked, his eyes fixed on the policemen, “Who did you just say that I killed?”

“Don’t play dumb. You kidnapped that poor girl, and tortured her to death.” One officer brings out the handcuffs, and starts to drag Alan away.

“What?! I don’t even know this girl; I’ve never seen her. You have the wrong guy!”

The lecture room is full of whispering now.

 Alan is looking at Lex imploringly, who’s no longer beside Clark, but next to Alan in a blink. He hears Lex’s urgent words. “I can tell my father is behind this. I’ll get you out, I promise.” Right before Alan is forced away.

“Lex Luthor? I bet he’s behind the crime too!” The man behind Clark is saying.

“No! It’s a lie!” Clark turns around and ready to fight this man. Lex’s hand on his arm stops him, “Clark, don’t, let’s go.”

“I started all of this, I’m responsible.” Lex mutters all the way back to his car.

Clark stands at his side of the car; he wishes to comfort Lex, but words fail him.

“Clark?” Lex calls him.

“I…”

“Come on, there’s much to do; I can use some help.”

That, Clark is happy to give. He gets in the car.


	5. Chapter 5

Along the road to Lex’s Smallville manor, Lex keeps talking about all the strategies that can turn the situation and how important to do it. Whenever Clark tries to say something, Lex just doesn’t listen. Clark, who has no idea what was the exact job of Alan Aubaine for Lex, he wants to help but Lex doesn’t really tend to share the secret. As if what Alan did is patented by Lex Luthor himself and cannot be revealed to anyone, not even to Clark. Clark slips his hands into his pocket, and grabs the medicament that he sneakily brought from Alan’s laboratory. Is this thing already inside Lex, is Alan really a safe and helpful man to Lex? Are there anything else that Alan created that he doesn’t know? So many questions unanswered.

When they arrive in the office, Lex rummages through the name cards, and gives one to his secretary, says he is the best lawyer that he has.

“Anything I can help?” Clark asks.

“Clark, the treatment last time I had in Alan’s laboratory, I had some memories back.”

“What kind of memories?”

“The parts of the evidences of my father murdering my grandparents. I have it. Yes! I can use this! If my father doesn’t want to go to jail, he has to withdraw all his false accusations.”

“Why you think it’s your father’s work? He’s in jail. And we don’t even know who is Ashley Birkin, maybe Alan did kill her.”

“It’s from my past experience, there’s no other assumptions. And I don’t really care who is Ashley Birkin.”

“This thing is driving you crazy. Lex, don't you see it?” Clark quivers.

“What thing?”

“Your treatment!”

“It has nothing to do with my treatment, Clark. Don’t be paranoid.”

“Tell me the details of your treatment.”

“That would be a lot.”

“Or let’s start from this.” Clark brings out a phial of glowing liquid from his pocket, and shows it in front of Lex’s eyes.

Lex’s face turns pale, “How did you get this?” He started to scan through the moments of the video in his mind, and he can’t remember himself seeing Clark getting it.

Clark doesn’t answer, because he’s the one who needs an answer.

“Give that to me, Clark.” His voice is never that grave. But Clark doesn’t seem to be scared.

“Answer my question, Lex.”

“It’s dangerous!”

“It’s dangerous and you let that inject into you!”

Clark opens the cap of the phial and drinks the liquid inside, he wants to know what kind of danger it can be.

“No!” Lex rushes up to Clark, grabs his arm, and asks him something. But somehow, Lex’s voice is far away than what it should be.

In an instant, Clark feels incredibly hot. He looks up Lex again, and he’s just different. Lex’s hands are no longer grabbing his arm, instead, he touches his heating chest. This touch feels like a blast of electricity to Clark. Then Lex gets dangerously closer and whispers tantalizingly in the ears of Clark.

“Fuck me, Clark.”

“This isn’t real…” Clark is shocked, his vision is blurry.

“How do you feel, Clark?” The same voice of Lex echoes in somewhere else, but not from the Lex that’s in front of him.

“Flesh against flesh.” Lex keeps whispering in Clark's ears.

“It can’t be… Lex, no.” Clark collapses, he sits on the sofa behind him. and Lex still doesn’t let go of him. He comes closer and sits on Clark’s thighs.

“Clark!”

The Lex that’s on his thighs disappears, Clark then looks up and sees the real Lex.

“I… Something just happened to me.” Clark flushes.

“Mr. Kent, are you alright?” The secretary just gets in, behind Lex tries to go up and see what’s going on.

Lex shows a sign of “stop” to the secretary, and looks at him by himself. He already knows what happened to him. For he had the same feeling before.

“He needs rest.” Lex turns around and tells the secretary. Quickly he turns back and looks at Clark’s face, while Clark is already sweating. “Clark. Just hold it.”

Clark almost is losing his visions, he can’t tell which is real which is not now. There is one Lex, calming him down, the other one is sitting on him and tries to arouse him. Thankfully, things are clear when the real Lex grabs his hand, and drags him to a different room that he never sees before.

“It is my bedchamber.” Lex says. “Now sit down on my bed.”

“What…? Are you the real Lex?”

“Is there any other Lex that you see?”

“Your voice, you’re the real Lex. I can tell.”

But actually, he can’t really tell, the other Lex somehow disappears, there’s only one Lex in front of him. And that’s the one who is unzipping Clark’s pants. He bents down, and starts to suck on Clark. Everything after is just sounds of obscurity now. Is this the drug of new technology? Is this the treatment that Lex was getting? Clark never imagines something in that level could have happened to him. He never dares to even fancy about it. Clark starts to wonder if Alan has done the same thing to Lex. But he can't think more. He’s losing control on himself, he falls down and lays on the bed, just enjoying this feeling of the bursts of desire.

He knows that’s not enough, far from it.

“Lex.” His voice isn’t even normal, he’s having tinnitus now, “Stop doing this.” He lies again, that’s not what he asks for, but he has to demand it before everything completely goes out of control.

For a second Lex stops, he stands up and looks down at Clark. He is trying to comprehend as if what Clark said is more difficult than the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

“Ah… I know I shouldn’t say it.” Clark apologies, he covers his hand on his sweating forehead. He’s convincing himself that he can take care of this by himself. But Lex understands this frustration now. Clark’s mind is back to focus on Lex once again.

“Let me take a shower first then.” Lex says so and leaves him alone.

Lex is cruel, leaving him in such a condition. Clark just wants the other Lex to come back and fill this gap of time.

It’s like hell to him, every second becomes infinity. He almost wants to smashes the door of shower room and get in. He doesn’t know how long it has been until he sees Lex gets out from that door.

“What took you so long?”

“It’s just 5 minutes.”

“Lay down.” Clark orders.

“Easy, Clark. Easy.” Lex is actually looking a bit anxious. He is grabbed by Clark, and within one second his towel is on the ground and Clark’s body is already above him.

Clark looks at Lex’s face, he’s glad that the shirt is gone. He’s crazy, he no longer cares about the consequences. He never looks at Lex in this way. He’s so frail, so defenseless. It makes Clark have thoughts of being brutal on him, he bites Lex on the bed, and tears Lex and still nothing seems to be enough. Until Lex’s hands tightly clinch on Clark’s back Clark finds something sentimental back. He really doesn’t want to hurt him, it’s controllable, he tells himself. He kisses Lex’s neck and holds him tight.

He feels like the time has stopped, he doesn’t really know and care if it’s reality or not. All he knows is that he can’t let this moment stop. The aroma of the room is melted by their sweats. In Clark’s mind, everything is erotic. Everything is poisoned by their hot fusion and dazzling joy, and the only antidote seems to be the climax of the effervescence.

Lex’s lips slip from Clark’s, he is trying to speak something, Clark gets closer to Lex’s lips but he really can’t hear anything. He realizes that Lex already used up all his energy, his mouth is open but there’s no sound. How long it has taken? He hugs Lex in his arms, so wildly that he almost forgets to release Lex, when he does he sees Lex sleeping soundly like an innocent child. He feels incredibly sorry for Lex. He feels that he’s hurting him. He wants to cry, but he doesn't want to wake Lex up. He lies on the bed, and tries to let himself sleep too. It takes him hours later, but when the drowsiness comes, he sleeps deeper than any time before.

 

“Clark.” Clark hears a blurry distant sound from the corner. He’s dreaming, but he doesn’t know by himself. He gets up and look back at the bed. Lex is not there.

“Clark, come here.” Lex urges him.

He follows the voice. And steps into a place that he never sees before. He opens a door, and inside it’s a room that Lex never showed to him. It’s all dark, and even Clark uses his X ray power, he can’t see Lex.

“Clark.” The voice becomes clear and close. Clark knows that Lex is right in front of him. And in the next second, the light of the room is turned on.

In front of Clark, it’s Lex, and in his arm, there’s a man, a stranger. His face is blurry, no matter how hard he tries to see his face, it’s just purely blurry to him.

“Home come…” Clark can’t even believe it.

The situation makes Clark to fear to come closer.

“hmmm…” He can feel the smile in this stranger’s voice, deep like one from the devil. “Now he sees us.”

He knows this voice. It’s Alan.

“Sorry, Clark.” Lex’s voice is tempting. Still keeps his elegance, he grabs his arm tighter, “Alan is my boyfriend. And I think you should know, ” He puts his index finger onto his lips, “as I don’t want to keep any secrets from you.”

“Why him…Why now?” Clark’s voice is quivering.

“Because your fear in your heart pushes me away.” Lex gets off Alan, and gets closer to Clark. Clark’s foots are like being staked underneath, he tries his best to escape but he just can’t move. Lex grabs Clark’s neck, and get closer to his face.

“And I know your secret. You are not human.” The voice is exactly the same as he heard from Lex in Belle Reve.

“This must be a dream. I have to open my eyes now!” Clark is sweating.

“Yes Clark, open your eyes and see this real.” He releases Clark and grins, “And one more thing, you are no longer welcomed in my manor. Your name is excluded from the whitelist, together with your friends. I hate you Clark.”

Clark feels a great pain from the heart and too painful that it pulls him back to reality. He wakes up from his nightmare, mind still in awe. It’s just a dream, just a dream. He persuades himself. It was like his biggest fear has all come true. Lex’s existence next to him calms him only for just one second, in the next second, his heart is overcome by the feelings of guilt.

He gets out of the bed and takes a shower. Now as he can’t stand one more minute in this room, he leaves the room. He wants to find the answer from Alan Aubaine by himself.

*

“You’ve got a visitor.” The prison guard informs Alan. And takes him to the parlor.

Alan looks at the man at the window.

“Clark Kent.” His voice is mixed with a bit of disappointment. “I never expected you would come.”

“Lex told me you were framed.” He sits down.

“I later realized that you are not the one who framed me. It must be Lionel’s work. He’s the man who has plan B, and even C.”

“So you didn’t kill that girl.”

“Of course not, by the way, I heard from the detective that it seemed they thought I beat her, tied her up, brutally raped her and in the end stifled her, and later he told me she was 5 years old. I feel sorry for her. If you think I’m capable of doing it, you have to think again. The purpose of this, is to put me in this place forever, and with my reputations is already gone, I can’t live in this city anymore.”

“Before I get in, I see the people downstairs, waving slogans saying you’re the son of Satan.”

“Lionel probably has controls of several newspaper publishers, I’m sure he has written something beyond my imagination. I’m surprised Lex is not a psychopath, yet.”

“But you have no evidence to accuse Lionel is behind this.”

“You don’t seem to know him very well, Clark. But I know him too well.”

The voice of Alan calling Clark’s name makes Clark’s spine chill, he doesn’t want to blame Alan, it’s his own problem by the influence of his nightmare.

“Before I’m here, I did a bit of researches. You were in one of the labs of LuthorCorp, you worked for Lionel?”

“How did you get this information?”

“I have my own ways. But I want to know more. How did you know Lionel?”

It’s a big pause until Alan responses to Clark. “I guess yeah, since I was born.”

Forget about Lionel. The thoughts of the nightmare make Clark irritated. Instead, he asks what he truly wants to find out. “And Lex? What do you do for Lex?”

“Some researches, that’s all I can say.” Alan quickly senses the tense in Clark’s tone. His deduction was right, the relationship of Clark and Lex are not just “friends” as what Clark claimed to him. He asks this question intentionally, “Do you like him, Clark Kent?”

“Do you?”

Alan leans his back on the chair and laughs, he’s enjoying this conversation now. “I did. And I guess I still do. But it’s a different feeling now.” Alan looks away.

“What makes you like him?” Clark grabs his fist, tries to calm himself down. “I mean, besides the money that he gave to you, and the research facilities of course.”

“hmm…” Alan smirks, he knows what Clark means, it’s a mockery to him, “This is the reason why you are here, isn’t it? I’ve met different people from different places. I've studied them. But you and Lex, are by far the strangest, in two totally different directions. The reason why I like Lex is not worth mentioning and I bet you don’t really want to know.”

Clark almost punches to the glass window. But his last lucidity drags him back to reality.

“You seem to be angry.”

“What if I insist to know?”

“It’s a long story. I wouldn’t make it.”

“Then make it short.”

“Let’s just say that he saved my life once. There, in the Forbidden Street, I’m not sure if he has mentioned CICATRIX to you, that’s where it’s located.”

“What’s that?”

Alan tries to hold his laugh, “I’m sorry. But it’s just a jewelry store.”

“And?”

“I love the way you ask questions, Clark Kent.” He is back to his regular tone, “And I’m the product of LuthorCorp. I was born in a lab of LuthorCorp.” Alan swallows, his eyes are fixing on Clark, stable and stern. Like he’s saying something religious.

“A product?! You?”

Alan stands up indolently, turns his back on Clark, and takes off his cloths. It’s a tattoo of LuthorCorp logo.

“Created by the genetic craftsmen of LuthorCorp and mixed with Lex’s deceased brother. Happy now?”

“Julian?!”

Alan grabs his fists and closes his eyes, he really can’t bear this name. “I deserve to be myself.”

“What do you mean? You can’t be... his clone, you look far older than to be his.”

“God knows, when I opened my eyes I was already 18. Look, Clark, there is a part of you I like, please, let’s just keep it that way. if you want to know more details, ask Lionel himself when he wakes up.”

Damn it, that was what Lex advised him last time. They almost share the same tones.

“He won’t answer me.”

“Times up!” the guards get in.

“You should be able to find them out by yourself then.” Alan leaves his words to Clark before he leaves the room.

*

It's 5am and Alan already is awake. The first light of the sun infiltrates into the dormer. He hates it, it is already too strong for him to sleep. He wanders around in his room, wasting his time until his breakfast time come. Lex Luthor has paid to let him have the best cell already, and he can enjoy the breakfast alone, and take bath alone, even no need to join the walk. Maybe it’s time for him to study again. He picks up a reference book that he brought in with him and starts to read it.

Then someone knocks his door.

"Hi, Alan Aubaine. Nice to meet you. I am your psychiatrist." A woman opens the door, wearing in pure professional suit, she gives her card to him, like she's some sales woman who tries to sell the diet products to him.

 "I don't know I can have a psychiatrist."

"Not just you, all the young adults can. The government wants to give all delinquent young people second chances to go back into society and adapt to new healthy lives. Now follow me this way."

“I’m not an adolescent.”

“It’s fine you’re included in the list and I’m here you’ll have to come.”

The doctor takes him into another room, Alan looks up and sees a camera on the roof.

“You can call me Mila.”

“Alright, Mila, what you want to hear?”

“Anything, you can pour out your heart to me.”

“hmmm, I like this place, everything seems too good. People caring each other very much and now there’s a fake psychiatrist in front of me. You work for Lex Luthor.”

“How, how do you know?” The woman is in panic.

“You are a terrible actress. May I remind you I’m not an amateur in this area. I knew you were an imposter from the first glance. And if you worked for Lionel Luthor, you wouldn’t be here, that’s just not his style.”

“Please don’t be alarmed, Mr. Luthor is trying to help you.”

“I’m very flattered to hear that.”

“He sent me to know more about you.”

Alan laughs, “How typical, never straightforward. If he asked me I will tell him the same the story as I'll tell you.” Alan gives her a vacuous smile, “Do you want to hear about it?”

“Sure.” She turns on the recorder.

“I was born in a laboratory, created by the genetic craftsman, neutralized by an eighteen-year-old young man. I was found to have ability to heal every wound after 5 seconds, I learnt fast, I was ordered to work with one of the craftsmen who created me for a project of sovereign remedy. He was my teacher and I was his." He pauses and sighs, he tries to say something but he decided to swallow it.

"And?"

"Until one day, someone showed up in the laboratory. Nobody knew him, but he just existed among us. When we took a group picture, only his shadow was reflected. He told me his name, one day he’s a woman called Mary and the next day he’s a man called Leo. He was surely not human, I called him The Creature. The laboratory later became cursed, people went crazy, some killed themselves, and the others vanished without witnesses. He was responsible for all the killings in the other lab next to ours. Lionel asks to burn the other lab and he was certain that I was the one who's responsible for all of this.”

The woman grabs her hands together, “Why did he think so?"

“I guess since I was born he was suspecting me in that way. And there was one time I was absent in the laboratory, and no one died, it was a peaceful day until I came back.”

"What happened later?”

“The boss was very angry, he sent two stupid exorcists to my room, they did great damages on me, I was surprised to know Lionel wanted me dead. Thankfully it didn't last too long. They stopped when all of the sudden the lights were gone. The torture chamber became an abattoir. He killed the two exorcists -"

"Wait." She gives a stop sign, "Who is he?"

"Who else? The Creature. He killed them in that chamber and gave me their souls."

"You devoured their souls?!"

“Don't be afraid. I’m not interested in yours."

She takes out her handkerchief and wipes the sweat on her forehead. "What happened next?"

“I passed out. When I woke up, it was several weeks after, I was on my own bed like nothing happened before, except that I had stitches on my head. Not healed.”

Alan’s voice is very emotionless, like he was reading newspapers. The young man is not making her easy at all. She has to control her respiration better. She can’t find a proper word to say. Instead she writes down all the notes.

“Eh…That’s really a nightmare. I know what happened later, it was in the database of LuthorCorp, everyone was dead, apparently except you. I’m glad it was over.” She stands up, ready to say goodbye and leave the room.

"Sit down, lady. If Lex wants my help, I can. I have kept one evidence of the crimes of Lionel Luthor. It is the notebook of my doctor, I was able to escape from that place alive myself in the end. When I left I took the notebook.”

“Where is this notebook?” Mila is back on her seat.

Alan looks at the camera above him, he snorts.

"You don't have to mind the camera." Mila says, "This conversation is kept only between us."

"No I'm not. I find it funny.” He points to his temple, “I carry the interference signal that can block the audios of recordings, sometimes videos too. It’s a passive ability. Anyway, do you know the funeral area located in the north-east of Metropolis? Below the broken bridge. It was quite famous among the occult fans.”

“Yes. I do.”

“There’s a stock of funeral urns there, I locked it in the fifth one from the third row. And Lex should have the key.”

"My god, it’s so unsafe to leave such an important evidence there.”

“I have copies of course. This is just closest places to find it. So don’t worry.”

“Alright, I’ll inform him.” Mila stands up, “Thank you for your time.”

“No, I thank you.”

“Thank Lex Luthor then, I’m paid by him.” Mila goes to the door, she can't wait for another second to leaves this man.

*

Clark runs to Lex’s manor, before he tries to enter, Lex’s body guard stops him.

“What’s going on? Let me get in, I am Clark Kent! Lex’s friend!” Clark yells.

The guard blocks the path like a monolith. “Maybe not any more. Lex blacklisted you. Sorry Clark, you can’t get in.”

Clark is astonished when he hears that, his heart stops pulsing for one second. This is not going to happen like in his dream, if Lex forbids him to get to his house, it means he no longer sees Clark as his friend. Clark tries to find the answer but his mind is swirling in chaos.

“I’m afraid you have to leave.” The guard gives Clark a sign of stepping back.

Clark’s heart is sunken. He knows that he can’t throw the guard away, and he has lost all the reasons to do it as well. What’s the purpose of telling Lex what he discovered if Lex doesn’t even want to see him?

Seconds later he hears footsteps behind him. He turns around and sees a woman, holding a big bag. She must be Lex’s agent. If it’s not important news, she wouldn’t come. Clark knows that there must be some new discoveries about Alan from Lex’s side too, and it hurts Clark’s brain to ignore it. Clark decides to not to leave, his super speed grants him the unique power of invisibility. The guard can only feel a fierce wind and Clark is already inside Lex’s manor.

He arrives even before the agent does. When he appears at the door of the office, Lex's face raises with surprise.

“Clark? How did you get in?!”

“You blacklisted me?!” Clark rushes inside.

“Mr. Luthor! Did I interrupt you? Shall we arrange the meeting in some other time?” The female agent is now at the entrance door.

“Yes!” Clark looks at her in fierce eyes.

“No.” Lex retorts.

“Eh…” The agent doesn’t know who to listen.

“Clark, I’m sorry. Let’s put this aside, I really need to get the information from her. Maybe we can rearrange our time -”

“Then I want to get this information too.” Under Clark's voice it's an expression of menace.

Lex sighs, “Have a sit, both of you.” He goes to his own armchair and sits down.

“So, let me introduce, this is Mila. And this is Clark Kent. Clark, I sent Mila to see Alan, to know him better."

"Hi, Mr. Clark Kent, nice to meet you." She reaches her hand to Clark, but Clark is hesitated to shake her hand. "I have been helping Lex Luthor running the whole business regarding Alan Aubaine, since their first meet in CICATRIX. So you can trust me." She grabs Clark's hand and shakes it.

"What exactly is CICATRIX? Is it the place of your tryst?" Clark looks at Lex distrustfully.

"It is nothing, just a jewelry store, he works there as a part-time job." Lex touches his nose.

"Take me there then."

"God damn it, Clark! Let Mila continue!" Lex becomes angry.

 Mila starts to pour over all the crazy conversations she heard from Alan. She has left no seams to Clark.

“This is a bit too crazy, is it really true?” Lex can’t believe it.

“I'm sorry to interrupt. In fact, I got something too." Clark rolls his eyes, ceases his fire and looks at Lex.

"Please Clark, show it to me." Lex raises his head.

"This is the picture of the laboratory.” Clark brings out the photo he printed, and shows it to Lex. “You see this person in the middle.”

Lex stares at the photo for several seconds, “Where did you get this photo?”

“From a website, an occult website from Lana…"

"From Lana?!"

"You know she likes this kind of stories. In this photo, you see the dark spot right there, it says that it’s haunted by ghosts.”

 Lex takes over the photo from Clark and exams, he tilts his head on his fingers, for a long pause he keeps quiet, he swallows and closes his eyes. The place becomes silent, the two are both waiting for his response. Some idea comes into Lex’s mind, he opens his eyes, opens his laptop, and reads his checklist, “Thank you very much, Clark. It now gives me more understanding of the whole thing." He places the picture aside, "Mila, the previous one, about the crystal brain, I asked you to investigate on them too. Did you find anything?”

“Not really. I searched the database of LuthorCorp. And found nothing.”

“hmm…” Lex shows a sign of disappointment. “That's not enough to let my father stay longer in jail.”

Mila then opens the bag that she carried into the room, and brings out a urn. “Maybe this one can.”

“What’s that, a bomb?” Clark feels chills in his bones.

"Oh, this is the evidence.” Mila responds.

“It’s a funeral urn?” Lex asks.

“It’s locked. And Alan says you should know where is the key.”

“The key?” Lex puts his fingers at his temple and contemplates. He stands up and walks to the bookshelf. There he presses one of the book, it triggers some mechanism and several books withdraw, a safe shows up, he taps the password like he’s playing the piano and the door opens, inside there’s a key, Lex holds it and turns around, he wets his lips, “I've been always wondering what this key is for.”

She accepts the key and inserts into the urn, it cracks open.

“Where did you get this key?” Clark asks Lex.

Lex glances at Clark, “In the beginning, Alan asked me to buy a safe for him. I bet he thought of this at that time.”

Mila takes out a notebook from the inside.

“A notebook? Hand it over.” Lex requests.

Mila follows the order. Lex opens one page, “Under the name of Doctor William Watson. Must be one of the doctors that my father hired.”

“Alan said it was from his creator.”

Lex sneers, “Fine. Good job, Mila. You’ll be rewarded with great profits.” And he notices Clark stepped back several steps, he swallows, as if he’s afraid of this book.

“Thank you Mr. Luthor.” She smiled happily, “Now excuse me.” She leaves the office and shuts the door, leaves Clark and Lex alone in the office.

 

“Now what?” Lex's voice is filled with discontent, he stares at Clark without even blinking. All these things are enough to cause Lex headache.

“Oh!” And Mila opens the door again, “I forgot my bag.” She opens the door and takes her bag back and flees.

The door is shut again. None of the two talks. As soon as Mila is gone the tension in the house has been changed. It’s a silence before Clark answers.

Here comes the stillness before the downpour.

“Clark. If you feel uncomfortable, you” Lex stops as Clark is now standing in front of him.

"You blacklisted me.” He bends down and grabs the back of Lex's armchair.

“I hope you know the reason." Lex's voice is cold as if he's talking to a business partner.

Clark hates Lex speaking to him like this. His mind is blanked by fury, he almost loses the strength to stand still.

"Is it...?" He doesn't even want to finish his sentence.

"Is it about Alan? Damn right it is." He grabs the papers that Mila placed on his table on the other day and throws them into the air. He leans against the armchair, defenseless, like it's a provocation to Clark.

“I had a nightmare.” Clark releases his hand from the chair and takes several steps back, trying to be more friendly.

“A nightmare? And?” 

“And that’s why I left your house.” Clark doesn’t want to make details of the nightmare that he had.  

“I don’t accept this excuse.” 

“You blacklisted me and now you want me to apologize to you?” 

“Apologies are just words, Clark. And I don't need them now. You should probably reflect yourself first. If you woke up in the morning, and saw the same situation that I saw that day, what would you do? You wouldn’t get angry at all? I am a human too, do I have to always deal with your complexity?” Lex stands up, he goes towards to Clark and points his finger at Clark's heart. "Your heart, is unpredictable than any woman I have met."  

Clark captures Lex's wrist, turns Lex around and pushes him against the shelf, "If you have told me the truth in the first place, things will not happen like that." Clark refuses to accept Lex's accusation.

"Alright, now you want the apology from me?"

"I wanted the truth. As simple as that. Why you didn't tell me?"

"I don’t understand, why do you assiduously want to know about this? Since when you begin to be interested in the business of LuthorCorp?” Lex tries to break Clark's hand, but he finds it impossible. He begins to try a new trick, he gains his balance from the strength of Clark, his jaw almost reaches Clark's shoulder, "Let go of me." He orders with a cold voice. Clark doesn't want to, but then Lex turns away, as if he doesn't even want to talk to Clark anymore. It leaves Clark no choice but to listen to Lex. Lex skips through Clark's body and goes to the side of the window. He’s sweating. He presses down the top button of his shirt and unlocks it, looking at outside through the window, trying to calm himself down.

“It’s not about the business, it’s about you.” Clark talks at the back of Lex.

“I've already given you the maximum information as I can.”  

“Is hiding the secret of this more important than the relationship of you and me?” 

“Stop threatening me!” Lex turns around and goes to Clark, he wants to say something, but his phone on the desk rings. The two look at the phone. The air freezes between them, Lex stares at Clark as Clark stares at Lex, they both hate this interruption, but still Lex goes to the desk in his fastest pace to pick up the phone. Clark grabs the hand of Lex and pushes it down. 

"Answer my question first."

Lex sighs, "I have a biological conference tonight, a very important and potential partner will join. I have to pick up this phone. If you want a conversation of this, we can discuss it after."

“Fine.” Clark loosens Lex’s hand. He sees Lex giving him a stare then picks up the phone and starts his business tone. He’s disappointed.

“Goodbye, Lex.” He leaves the room, but he doesn't want to shut the door. 

When Lex turns around and wants to stop Clark, Clark is no longer to be seen.

_NOT AGAIN…_

He puts aside his phone and rushes out of the office, no one except him and the guards are in the manor.


	6. Chapter 6

In the morning, Clark asks himself what is wrong with him. He doesn’t feel good. His head is dizzy. He gets up from the bed and goes to the window and withdraws the curtain, not much lights are brought in. Because there’s no sun today. He opens the window for some fresh air. However, that doesn’t help him much. He goes back and sits on his bed, motionlessly listening to the sounds of wind, as if the sky without sun has deprived his energy. He hates the idea to go to school. But he has to. At the corner of his room, he sees the sword that Lex bought for him for the ball, his mother has cleaned them and leaned it there. Such good memories, he sighs, good moments usually end quickly. His mind comes to reality when he realizes that his mother is already calling him for several times. 

“Dear, you don’t look good, what happened to you?”

“You don’t like your mother’s cooking?” Jonathan glimpses at him. 

“Yes I do.” Clark grabs one of the bread, “Sorry, mom, it’s just the weather.” He dares not to answer frankly.

He didn’t eat too much. He left his home without taking an umbrella, without even remembering to shut the door. Martha grabs an umbrella for Clark and rushes out, but Clark is already nowhere to be found.

Now Clark is sitting in the middle of the class. The idea of not being able to get the answer from Lex distracts him. The teacher’s mouth is on and off, blabbering something that he doesn’t really care what it is. He looks through the window, it’s raining now. He enjoys the raindrops as if they can carry something sentimental in him.

The school days are boring. He wants to go home and rest alone. When the bells ring, he sees people talking to each other, packing their stuff and intertwine in front of him. Girls are whining about how their ex-boyfriends dumped them, arguing over how he or she doesn’t deserve her or him. Boys are talking about the football matches or the latest games. All non-sense to him, he becomes isolated, and he has no mood to join anyone’s conversations. Today is not going to end well. In this situation, it is difficult for him to block all the thoughts of Lex, even though he tries his best to avoid thinking of Lex. Recently there has been too much going on between them. Still, he reflects on himself, maybe he exaggerated the whole thing. He goes to the office of Torch and searches on Google map, to find out what is CICATRIX, but Google honestly shows a jewelry store there… _But it’s not the time to bend down and say sorry, not before Lex says it first._

He gets out of the school alone. He had some thoughts of going to Talon, but the idea of facing people annoys him.  

In the middle of this raining day, he walks alone. The friendships in school, the victories of his football team, nothing can cheer him up when his heart is sunken. He asks himself, if tonight there’s any mutant appears and threats this town, will he even be there to be the hero? He has no desires to do it for now. He starts to think that he’s just next to nothing, stuck in this world absolutely alone. Disoriented, he passes through a park. No-one is there playing. He slouches on a bench, watching the autumn leaves being washed away by the rain, flowing through the gaps between the rocks and branching into different directions. He doesn’t like the idea of finding his way home now. Martha and Jonathan would just ask him what’s wrong, and it hurts his brain to have to make up some stories, to tell them there’s nothing wrong, except that he is wrong. He sits there absolutely still, feeling the raindrops caress his hair and flow into body.

His mind is full of confusions and regrets. He hates that he can never discuss anything with anyone about his troubled relationship of Lex. Who can understand it? There are times that he talked about Lex to Martha. But she simply answered, _you can’t help_ _everyone_. As if Lex is just a person that he or anyone meets randomly on the street. His feelings of Lex are always neglected by the people around him, he doesn’t know if they are just blind or if they intentionally choose to do so. The water drops are blurring Clark’s visions. He brushes away the water drops on his eyelids. In the vision of grey, a dog coming from nowhere comes to him, it seems like it can feel Clark’s gloomy mood. It lays down next to him, a stray dog without a home, or a name, finds its temporary peace under the shape of Clark.

The sky is getting darker; the night is calling him to go home. He pats the dog and gets up, “See you tomorrow.” He says. The dog swings its tail like it understands what Clark has said. He stands up and begins his walk to his home, but every step seems to be heavy. 

At home, Martha and Jonathan are both around him, keep asking him where he has been. Martha is even paranoid that someone at school must mocked at Clark for his adopted identity. Clark answers the basic questions and ignores the rest. He goes to his room upstairs despite that her mother keeps following him.

“Mom, could you do me a favor?” Clark asks his mother.

“Of course, dear.” 

“Can you give the sword back to Lex? He might still need it.” 

“But it’s, it’s a gift from Lex, no? Lex will not accept it. What happened between you?” 

“I just want to,” Clark sighs, “give it back to where it belongs. Whatever, or give it to my father, maybe he will like it.” 

“It’s ridiculous, why does your father need a sword?” 

“I don’t know. It’s just my guess. Mom, please leave me alone.”

Clark shuts the door. Outside his mother is still asking him more questions. After several seconds, he hears the footsteps of her mothing slowly moving away. 

The moment of silence calms him down, he lays on the bed and thinks of the days of him and Lex until he falls asleep. 

 

The rain continues in the next morning, but at least there’s sun today. He had lots of dreams last night, he dreamt of Lex apologizing to him and he woke up to find it was just a dream, and dreamt of Lex apologizing to him again and woke up to find it was another dream. Lex almost apologized to him in twenty ways. Over and over, he was even amazed by himself how much he wanted Lex to come back and be the first one to say sorry. But of course, it only stays in reveries, never in reality.

He feels stupid, why did Lex blacklist him? What has he done? An instant thought comes into his mind, that night, the words of Lex that he didn’t hear, what could they be? Was his act next morning greatly hurt Lex’s heart? He doesn’t know the answer, he could only guess Yes. He grabs his fist, if his deduction is true, it’s already too late, he has missed the best chance to apology.

He gets out of his room and timidly enters into this world outside. The day continues, everything just repeats. For the first time he starts to feel how boring the life it must be to a teacher because they have to repeat the same contents over and over again. Several classmates want to say hi to him, but they all walk away when they see the diluted eyes of Clark that express the emptiness inside him.

After school Clark leaves alone just like yesterday. He goes to the park and finds the dog there, how sweet, it waits for him. It’s probably the only animal on earth that can understand his mood now. Clark starts to focus on the things that are completely pointless. Why it's raining that heavily and yet there's still sunlights? He squints at the sun, the ray of lights is like golden powders sowing into his eyes, they hurt Clark so that he has to cover the lights by his hands. Suddenly, he sees a silhouette in front of him from the back light of the sun, he can't really see the outline clearly. His shoulders can no longer feel the raindrops, he realizes that a person in front of him is holding an umbrella for him. He has a nebulous feeling that it is actually Lex who's holding the umbrella. Until he hears a sweet curative voice:

“Clark? You are here! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. You are not going home?”

It’s Chloe.

“Oh my, Clark, what happened to you? You look terrible! Are you sick?”

She gently takes the dog away and sits down next to him. 

“Oh, I’m fine. I’d like to solve some math problems first. I told myself not to leave until I solve it. Now it hurts my head.” He answers without any vitality.

“Here? In a park?” Chloe raises her eyebrow. 

Clark squeezes a smile, “You’re right. I should go home now.” 

“Oh, before you leave. I would like to know if you could do me a favor.” Chloe gives Clark an irresistible smile that Clark knows it’s not going to be good. 

“Yes, what is it?” 

“Remember the costume that you wore on that day?” 

“Yes. And?” 

“You promised me you'll compensate for that. My girls all want to see more of it, they keep complaining about the few quantities of the photos. And I think, why not, we could even release a photo album of you wearing that costume! What do you think of this idea? This time I'll be the photographer. I promise to take the best photos.” Chloe’s eyes are sparkling; the request is very difficult for Clark to refuse, unfortunately she didn’t meet the best chance to ask. 

“I really would love to. But I’m sorry that I’ve already returned the sword to Lex.” 

Chloe’s mouth is open, “I thought you were proud to have it.” 

“Not anymore. Sorry, Chloe, and I have to leave now. See you tomorrow.” 

“Wait.” Chloe grabs Clark’s wrist, her face becomes serious. “Something happened to you and Lex?” 

_Too right. Why is Chloe always so clever? Is she a hacker in his brain?_

“Well, I’ll sort it out by myself.” Clark answers with a soft voice.

Chloe tilts her head, she knows this man’s personality too well, “From my past experience, you are lack of such ability."  

"Am I?" 

"Yes. I can help.” 

“Not really. But thank you for the concern.” 

“How long have you stopped talking to each other?” 

“Four or five days, I think.” 

“It’s not too late!” 

“Really, I can manage it by myself.” 

“I don’t do it for you, Clark. Or for Lex, I do it for the photos, I need that album to be released. Let’s have a deal, shall we? If I get it back, you and I go to the studio and we share the money from the release. It’s a fair deal.” 

This astute girl, knows him too well, she gives him the best opportunity to say yes. Even before he does that, she already smiles, as if she knows the answer when she asks the question. 

 

Just after the school, Chloe arrives at Lex’s manor. The guard stops her. 

“I’m Clark’s friend!” 

“I’m sorry, yes that Lex Luthor has added Clark Kent back to the whitelist. But only Clark Kent can come to see him, not his friends.” 

She just wants to knock the head of this guard. She thought she had prepared the worst, but she didn’t know this was even worse. “Then leave him a message. Will you?” 

“Of course, lady.” He brings out his interphone and talks to one of the guards inside the manor. Several minutes later, he looks back at Chloe, nods at her with a distrustful look and gives way to her, "You can go." 

 

“Chloe,” Lex sits in his armchair and smiles at her, “Long time no see.” 

“Lex! I’d like to have a little chat with you, but that guard just doesn’t let me in.” 

“It’s not his fault, he obeys the rules and gets his salary. Have a sit please. Tell me, what news you bring me?” Lex leans on his back of the armchair and crosses his legs. 

“Listen to this idea, I know you are famous in metropolis, but in SmallVille. Too few appreciates your work.” She looks at Lex, who slightly raises up the corners of his lip. Making sure that it’s a good opening, she continues, “I want to do an interview of you, interview of the future CEO of LuthorCorp, what do you think?” 

Something is not right. Lex's instincts tell him so. This is not what she came here for. He looks at her while she piles all the good words onto Lex. He knows her strategy already, because no one will refuse the flatteries. She comes here for Clark. He laughs when he discovers this secret, and she confuses the smile of Lex’s with the response of her success. Lex stops her from going further.

“Let’s cut those flatteries and get straight to the point, what happened to Clark?”

Chloe’s mouth is widely open as if she sees a ghost. Lex enjoys this look of her and finds it funny. He stands up and pours some brandy for himself and brews one cup of red tea for Chloe.

“No no, Lex. It’s really about you.” She grabs the cup and bottoms up the tea.

Lex snorts.

“Actually it is a bit about him. Just a little bit. Damn Lex, I hate that you are so clever.”

“Is he well these days?”

“You should really see the face of Clark recently and how melancholic he has been.” 

Lex takes a sip of his glass, “Maybe he got a bad score from tests.” 

“C’mon Lex. You know it’s about you.”  

“You don’t expect me to do something just because you came.” Lex goes to her and fills the tea for her.

“No, no no no. I’m just here, for another reason.”

“So it’s neither about me, nor about Clark, but about you?” He laughs again.

“Yes! I have a good project and I need money.”

Lex goes back to his armchair and sits down, “I’m listening.”

“I want to do a photo album.”

“Of what?”

“Of Clark!”

“So it IS about Clark.” Lex presses his fingers on the table.

“No, it’s about the album!”

Teenagers, he grins, young and cute. 

“hmmm” Lex pouts, “That might not be a bad idea.” 

Chloe smirks, she knows she already wins, she gives a sweet smile to Lex, “Thank you.” 

“I know several great studios and their photographers, I can help ask for their schedules. You don't have to worry about the budgets, it's all on me. But only if Clark comes and joins the discussion.”

Chloe makes a grimace at Lex and speaks in an ironic tone, “He’s shy. You know it.”

“Well.” Lex stands up from the sofa, “My door is open to him.”

“I will tell him about it. I have nothing to bother you now.” She goes up and hugs Lex before she leaves him.

 

When the door is shut by Chloe, time for business, the dark side of LuthorCorp. He stands up and goes to his shelf. He taps the password on his locker, in the middle of it, it lays the notebook. He takes out the notebook that Mila gave to him. A book that’s from a now dead scientist. A book that’s meant to be opened and discovered by another man like him. Devil is always in the details, even his father wouldn’t expect that Alan would have kept this. He now holds the ineffaceable evidence in his hands, a book that notes the cursed happenings in the history of LuthorCorp. On the top of the locker, it displays the last phial of the medicament. The secret path to the retrieving of his memories, the best weapon to be against his father. 

 

 

In fact, the notes of this book are mostly formulas and illustrations, and like every other heterosexual man, the dead scientist writes a lot about a red hair woman named Rouge and all his fantasies towards her. Just when Lex thinks it’s not that scary. He finds the part where the haunting happened.

_\----_

_Aubaine hasn’t been out of his room for a whole day. And there’s a very goofy thing happened here. First the light was out for several minutes. Then a new man joined the group. He’s taller than anyone here, his dressing was purely black, long hair, and he wore an overcoat with high heels under, A transvestism. His face was as pale as a ghost. I asked him who he was, but he didn’t answer. Maybe he’s a mute. When he walked, his heels tapped the floor in an elegant rhythm, I like him. When Aubaine was born it was the same goofiness. I don’t know who brought him in, I asked every scientist, but no one knew. Maybe it’s Lionel’s idea, who knows._

_\----_

_Multiple scientists in the other lab is missing. According to his colleagues, they all mentioned of hearing the footsteps of high heels at night. And nobody has seen that mute guy after his first appearance except Aubaine. But Aubaine’s recent mental state is awful, he told me the guy is called Leo today, but on the other day, he told me the guy was actually a girl and was called Mary. I reported this to Lionel Luthor._

_\----_

_Every day one or two persons in the other lab is either missing or dead… What is going on? Strange, am I the only person who never heard of any strange footsteps at night?_

_\----_

_It’s a date of celebration. No doctor or nurse is dead today. I wonder, is there any connection between Aubaine’s existence and the hauntings in the other lab? Because in the morning Lionel took Aubaine away, they spent the whole day outside. It’s the second time that he took Aubaine outside._

_\----_

_The other half of the laboratory is burnt today, under the order of Lionel Luthor. We all knew there were still living people there, including our tester, Vivant. They are all dead. And Aubaine is having a terrible fever. Despite of that, he still tried his best to get up and save people. I stopped him, of course I should._

_\----_

_It’s 2a.m. now. The only reason I’m writing this is because Aubaine tried to escape from the our lab. What a foolish impulsion. Now he’s captured, locked in the room right next to my bedroom, there are two religious looking men in that room too. I can’t sleep, because of Aubaine’s scream, it’s hurting my head. I wish it’s going be over quickly. I don’t want him to die. He’s by far the most efficient collaborator I ever had._

_\----_

_Aubaine’s screams are over, but in the morning when I knocked his door, there was no answer. I asked Lionel where he’s. Lionel said he was in surgery. Lionel seemed to be very angry about me, he said I’m dumb, and that’s why I’m still alive. What does a businessman like him know about a scientist like me?_

_\----_

_Aubaine is finally back, it’s almost been a month! I thought about submitting my resignation, now there’s no need. He has a long big scar of stitches on the back of his head. This is so difficult to explain. Can’t he heal himself? The way he looked at me was not normal, his sights are vacuous. What happened to him?_

_\----_

_This morning I saw Vivant gifting Aubaine a crystal brain, punctured with several needles. It’s amazing that different Vivant has different talents._

The final page of the notebook is filled with splattered blood stains.

Lex closes the notebook. He can tell what happened after to this coldblooded doctor. He must be dead now. Things happened there were intrigue. He’s not sure if this really can truly be an evidence.

He places the notebook back to the safe and takes out the medicament. He scrutinizes the phial. “But with this I surely can find the truth. The last one of the alpha version.” He injects the phial into himself. He closes his eyes, enjoying this feelings of euphoria in his mind. The phial drops on the ground, all these scattered fragments coming into one piece.

A scene appears in front of Lex’s mind, he sees Clark, who pushes him away and destroys the car. He recognizes this car, it’s the car of Morgan Edge. Lex’s eyes are filled with tears now.

Clark is not human, and he saved him but he chose to hide it.

_Clark, what are you afraid of me?_ He wishes Clark can be here to answer his question.

Another scene comes in. Lex is sitting at the backseat of his Porsche. The chauffeur says to Lex: _He’s dead, Mr. Luthor._ Lex’s face turns, and he looks at the man who’s sitting next to him. A man with skins like pearls, shoulder-length black hair. The man looks at the corpse spotted under the yellowish lights of the street lamps of Metropolis, several black suit dressed men are around the corpse. “This is like a crazy dream. My client is shot. And Lex Luthor saved my life.” It’s the voice of Alan.

_I have met him before?_

More crimes from his father, the scenes in his mind become too fast that it makes him lose control. He opens his eyes and tries his best to stand up and head to bedroom. However, the sensations are becoming too elusive, he starts to get lost. He struggles to be focused, but his mind doesn’t allow him to do so. Driven by the euphoria, he’s now falling apart. He hears a familiar voice calling him, saying something about Chloe and the photo album. A beam of light comes into his mind, blocking his vision, just before Lex is on the verge of hitting the ground, someone catches him, taking Lex back to reality.

“Lex? Are you ok? You’re sweating.” It’s Clark with an anxious voice.

“Clark…You have come.” In the arm of Clark, Lex speaks softly, even his breaths are irregular.

“Lex, listen to me. I figured out what you said that night.”

“What did I say?”

“‘Don’t ever leave me.’ That’s what you said. I’m so sorry that I didn’t hear it clearly. I’m sorry I left you in the next morning. I will not leave you like that ever again, Lex, I will not.” His voice is almost shivering. He grabs Lex’s back and hugs him.

In a moment Lex’s eyes are glinting, he looks up at Clark and smiles, “Say it again.”

“I will not leave you.”

“And my name.”

“Lex.”

“Say it again, Clark. And again…”

Under the arms of Clark, Lex has lost his voice, he caresses Clark’s neck, looks at Clark’s beautiful eyes and kisses him, so deep and sweet that Clark almost loses his balance. Clark struggles to push Lex away, leaving him leaning against the wall.

“You look a bit crazy. What have you done to yourself?”

“I have…” Lex touches his sweating temple, “fire in my head.”

“You need rest.”

Clark holds Lex’s arm and takes him to the bedroom and places him on the bed. He then sits down, turning his back at Lex. He dares not to look at Lex. He just wants to talk. But in the current condition of Lex and the flagrant aroma in the bedroom, it’s impossible.

“I…” He turns around and looks at Lex, Lex is giggling there.

“You make me nervous.” He stands up and is ready to leave. But Lex grabs his thigh and stops him.

“Stay. Don’t just come and go. You know how insecure it feels when I’m in this…space.”

“But I don’t want another nightmare…”

“Oh you will not.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Anything you want to do.” Lex gets up, he lays his finger on Clark’s chin and kisses his lips. It leaves Clark no choice. Together they fall down, Lex has never been so initiative before, he even tries to kiss Clark when Clark is at the back of him. He let their desire strip all of his vanity and leave him only the sensibility to feel the joy.

“Thank you for coming, Clark.” Lex says in his dream.

 

The rain has stopped. Clark is awakened up by a soft kiss. He opens his eyes and sees the blurry face of Lex. Then Lex simply vaporizes. He opens his eyes again and is disappointed to learn that it was just a dream. He finds the butler is waiting at the door, telling him that Lex is in the dining room. He’s thankful that there wasn’t any nightmare this time. He takes a shower, gets dressed, calms down and rushes downstairs. In the dining room Lex sits in one of the sofa, talking to his secretary who’s sitting in another sofa and sipping a cup of coffee. They have prepared the best foods for him. Lex smiles at him, asking him if he likes the breakfast after he finishes it.

“I hope you didn’t have any nightmare last night.” Lex speaks gently.

“Not at all.”

“Despite all the happenings recently, today when I wake up, I finally feel that I’m in the right direction, my future is right there waiting for me and I’m heading to it. And I will get back what all I had.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“And good news for you, Clark. I had my lovely secretary contacted several photographers just now, they will arrange the schedule for you. If nothing else happens, you should be notified this weekend. You can bring your sword into the studio too.”

“The sword? My mother didn’t return to you?”

“No. You don’t like it?”

“Oh! Yes, I like it. I’ll be there this weekend. This is what I owe Chloe.”

“Sorry that I can’t accompany you. Make sure you show me the results.”

“Of course.”

After Lex sends Clark to school, he answers the phone of his agent who informs him that his lawyer is waiting for him in his office in Metropolis.


	7. Chapter 7

“Hello father.” Lex calls his father from the entrance of the cell.

“Look who’s coming?” Lionel puts aside the cup of water on the desk and stands up from his bed, “It’s been a long time since we haven’t got time to sit together and talk to each other heart to heart.”

“Heart to heart?” Lex chuckles and gets inside, “I thought we had been through that lovely period. Don’t be sanctimonious, father. Guess why I’m here to see you.”

“Oh, dear. Why our relationship has to be like this? You think you were the only person who’s jealous of the Kent family? I know when you witnessed Jonathan Kent chatting with Clark Kent, embracing Clark Kent, you wished the same love from me. But you never thought that I wished you could be like Clark Kent. Do you ever remember the day when you had your men spied on me and kidnapped me? When I heard the dialogs of the Kent family, I wished the same words from you. But I got nothing, that’s why I left you there, alone, to suffer the same as mine. You are never a good son like Clark Kent, you put me in jail. What kind of a son would put his father in jail? Have you ever tried to love your father?”

“I’m not here to hear about your tirade.” Lex goes closer to the iron railings between the two. He looks at his own polished shoes and pauses a second and looks back at Lionel, “I’ve been doing a little cleanup for you. And I have to say I like your power over the resource management and your enterprise philosophy. You surely know how to keep me busy. When I finally got some time and took that chance to have a look at the database, I found all the files of Clark Kent were marked as credential.” He starts to walk around the cell, “Of course, a simple Single Sign On wasn’t a big problem for me, after all we share the same genotype. And guess what, I found something very interesting. And when I monitored the access log, I found there were men of yours adding files into it even when you are in prison. People like you still have some loyal employees, I’m impressed.” His face turns cold like steer, looking at his father with his blue eyes, “But I’m here to warn you, if you have your men stalk on Clark Kent any longer, the rest of your life won’t be too relaxing.”

“Warn me?” Lionel giggles, “Either you keep me here forever, or I advise you to worry about the days after I get out instead. All your relationships are fragile. You can rely on nobody.”

“I just knew you would say that.” He turns around and leaves the room and shuts the door tight, just when Lionel was wondering if their conversation was over, he hears some whispering between Lex and a guard, several seconds after, a light clicking sound from the lock and the door is open again, Lex comes back with a notebook.

“I have a little gift for you.” He throws a notebook with clean papers through the iron railings and watches it landing on Lionel’s bed behind.

“What is this?” Lionel’s face turns to grimace, angrily he turns to the bedside and picks up the notebook.

“Does the name William Watson mean anything to you?” Lex raises his tone.

Lionel quickly glimpses at several pages. Then he reads it with a smile as if the content is absurd.

“That bastard told you. I know he won’t help me anything, he only destroys things.”

“If you really want to hide a secret, you have to kill everyone who knows it. That’s what you taught me. I’m a bit surprised to learn that you kept Alan alive. Or is it because he has the DNA of Julian?”

Lionel falls on the bed when he hears this name, “That’s his new name? Unfortunately, he’s just another failure. After trying hundreds of times to re-create Julian, finding a person among millions of people to match Julian’s DNA, and later discovering how greatly he has contributed to LuthorCorp, you just don’t want to kill him, I chose to let it go. Even a man like me sometimes wants to spare a man. I never attempted to kill him. I only wanted to control him. I have to say, Lex. There was something in him always reminded me of you. I know what he was thinking in his last days. Every day, all he was thinking was how to be able to die. He would rather die than plead to me. How heart breaking. Don’t always blame me, Lex, I’m not coldblooded, he chose it.”

“As I have said,” Lex calms himself down from being incensed, “I have no feeling towards you now. Taunting me won’t be effective anymore.”

Lionel continues reading the notebook and swallows as if something really bad came into his mind. Then he puts it aside and stands up again and grips the railings.

“I know what you think, but you’re mistaken, my child. You are going into a wrong direction.”

Lex simply puffs, “Enough talk. This is what I offer you.” He again ignores what his father says, “Touching a finger of Clark Kent, and I will publish this notebook. And leave Alan alone, I know you have two prisoners harass him all the time.”

“He deserves to be there.”

“Really?” Lex sits still and puts his hands in his inner pocket and brings out his cellphone and reads the note on the screen, “First name Ronald, does this name sound familiar to you, father?”

Lionel quickly realizes who that is supposed to be, and he becomes furious, “What are you trying to accuse me!”

“A pedophile who was witnessed to be wondering around Ashley Birkin’s school just one day before she died. You might not know him, but I think he knows you.”

“I will make you regret for what you said today. I will kill everyone you love, and in the end I will kill you.”

Lex closes his eyes, after finishing all he wanted to say he decides to leave. “Think about this deal again before rejecting it. I’ll come back soon.”

Lionel starts to laugh. Just before Lex opens the door, Lionel calls him, “You don’t want to know how I made the scars on Aubaine?”

Lex stops his hand on the handle of the door and turns around, “What did you do?”

“He heals fast. Of course, all human can heal. But he’s different, I sometimes wonder if he’s really our product. when he’s wounded, his skin color will change to livid, then after 5 seconds, his wounds will be gone and his skin color will be back to normal. I had my team studied on him, and asked him to join this research and create a remedy for me. The project was very successful. The remedy can temporarily boost the level of mutagens in the blood of human and ameliorate one’s immune system. However, the remedy had a reverse effect on him, it would temporarily deteriorate his immune system. When I had the control signal planted into his brain, I asked all the doctors who perform the operation to apply the remedy on their scalpels. And maybe the wounds were too deep for him to heal. The project is ceased along with the disintegration of lab, only I have the formula of this remedy.”

Lex shrugs, “Good to know. If you think telling me this story will buy you a commutation, good luck. Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need that formula.”

 

Once again Lex approaches to the handle of the door, but the door is opened by his bodyguard from the other side.

“Mr. Luthor! There is a jail riot outside! We need to leave now!” The bodyguard grabs Lex by the arm and pulls him out of the cell, leaving the echoing of Lionel’s laughing behind.

“You are still too young, son!” Lionel yells, “You have a lot to learn.”

 

*

Half an hour ago.

Alan had been forced to play Blackjack with two prisoners earlier today. Despite of several very unlucky rounds, Alan won the game. But he doubted the two would leave him alone. During the walk time, he saved this moment of silence at his cell by reading some magazines that Lex had sent to him, waiting for this moment to come. Not too soon, the two prisoners appeared at the edge of the door of his cell. Each of them was almost twice as big as him. Alan took a look of haze at the two and his concentration was back on the magazine. He turned a page and ignored the two. One of the prisoners sneakily slid into the corner of the cell, hands in his pocket, bending down and read the content.

“The chemical that promotes the growth and survival of brain cells and communicates between them, B...eh… what is this?” The prisoner snatched the magazine, “An insulating layer that surrounds the fiber of the central system…” He threw away the magazine, “I don’t know a pedophile needs that.” He looked at the other prisoner and they started to laugh.

“Fuck off!” Alan’s deep voice broke their laughing.

One of the prisoner’s face turned into grimace, and he tugged Alan’s wrist and forced him to stand against the wall. Alan felt an extreme disgust when that man did so, and he tried his best to defend himself but after several rounds of fight the big guy in front of him slapped his face. His disheveled hair fell onto his wounded face. The prisoner gripped a bunch of Alan’s hair on his face with one hand and licked the blood on the verge Alan’s mouth. All of sudden, that man’s face turned into awe. He couldn’t believe what he saw. Alan’s face turned into abnormally livid. The moment when the prisoner saw this and reflected in his brain, he gasped and almost lost the strengths on his hands. In the next second, Alan’s hand was on the prisoner’s neck and choking him. The prisoner made out a disturbing sound from his mouth. The other prisoner who was guarding the door turned around, trying to understand what was going on and was shocked to see the two. He stepped closer to the two timidly but the light was suddenly off. He could hear the choking sound of his companion and the temperature of the room was dropping significantly. His natural instinct told him to flee. The light went on again, and his companion fell on the ground next to Alan, nearly asphyxiated. The prisoner covered his both hands on his neck which was filled with icy drops and his own sweats. He was panting and the other was ragging on the door. White mists were coming out of their mouths, one started to yell at the guards on the other side. Alan ordered the two.

“Get out.”

The two didn’t move, faces numb, both staring at Alan.

“I said: GET OUT!”

The door finally opened and they fleed. Alan stood still, eyes closed, trying to calm down but he couldn’t. He couldn’t stand this place anymore. In front of the door there stood the warden with a frightened look. Alan arranged his hair and crossed the door.

“Sir, I know you had a little connection with Lex Luthor. And I know Lex asked you to protect me. But it seemed that you never did a good job.” He said in a monochromatic tone.

The light became dim, the cords of the lamps swinging back and forth by some mystic breeze; the signal of the TVs in the corridor was lost, white noises dispersed on all the screens like they were simulated by something supernatural.

“Give me your ID card, your truncheon and your pistol.”

“I…I’m sorry that I shut the door, I didn’t really mean it!!”

“I don’t want to repeat what I just said.”

The warden’s body shivered, he swallowed his voice and fearfully he handed over what Alan asked for. The other prison guards from the lounge noticed the noise, they stopped their chatting and got out. At the time they saw Alan holding their warden’s pistol and truncheon, they all raised their pistols

“Shoot me won’t help.” Alan raised one of his arm and aimed at it. A gun fire blasted. The blood flowed from his wound and dropped on the ground, his skin color turned into livid, the white noises from the TV became more chaotic, “1…2…3…4…5” he murmured, “You see. I don’t even know why myself.” He waved his arm in the air. The skin color of his arm turned back to normal and the wound no longer existed.

The guards looked at each other, still holding the pistol, and they were all trying to understand what just happened.

“NFC, huh?” Alan looked at the ID card at his hand, “The technology that I hated the most. Sorry, I have to leave now. To a place where I belong.” Alan turned around and ran towards to the main gate of this floor. When he reached there, the warden snatched the pistol from the guard next to him and shouted at Alan.

“Son! You can’t just escape here like this! It’s not the rule of this world! I’ll shoot you if you don’t stop!”

“I don’t know the fucking rule of this world.”

After several failed attempts, Alan finally opened the gate with the ID card of the warden. He got out and locked the door again, his silhouette faded. The lights and TVs in the corridor went back to normal. Just when the guards were ready to chase Alan, the worst situation happened: The walk time was over. All the prisoners were being taken back to their cells by the other group of the guards from the other side of the gate. The whole group stopped their moves when they saw the disastrous scene.

“Ch…Chase him!!” The warden yelled at all the guards. With hesitations, the team ran towards to the gate.

Several clever prisoners quickly understood what just happened, they ran after the guards to the gate too. All the other prisoners followed once they realized this was the best chance to escape. The guards started to shoot at them and everything became chaotic.

Alan’s only goal was the antechamber, where Mila took him there once. It was the room closest to the exit of the prison. Though it was on the fourth floor, he still decided to try his luck. He looked back, the place behind was becoming a carnage. The prison was now in emergency mode. His card was no longer useful, all doors could be only opened from the outside. So he bet his only chance to wait for the reinforcements to come in. The smell of blood was flying in the air, the fire sounds behind him instigated his eardrums.

The gate opened, the first man was a man with a heavy armor. Once he aimed the pistol at that man, the man already hit the ground, someone was helping him.

“Hello, pretty, do you need help?” A man behind called Alan, while keep shooting at the front.

“Who are you?” Alan asked while following him.

“Someone who tries to escape just like you. This way.”

“How do you know where is the direction to the outside?”

“I’m an architect. Hurry up, before they block this place.” He pillaged the pistols from the corps and started to sprint. Alan took a deep breath and thought twice, in the end he decided not to follow this man.

 

With a very good luck Alan managed to the antechamber. It was empty. He walked to one of the big windows, the only room with windows without lattices. He smashed the window with his looted truncheon. The sound of fractured glasses deafened him. He turned around and noticed a middle-aged guard was standing in front of the door, pointing the pistol at him but was hesitated to fire.

“Are you going to shoot me or not?” Alan threw away his gears on the ground, raising both of his arms in the air.

“What are you trying to do?” The guard asked him with a firm voice. His intercom sizzled throughout the antechamber.

“I’m going to jump from here to see if I die.” He glanced at the outside.

“Stop, boy. We can talk.” The guard raised his pistol and slowly bended down and put the pistol on the ground. “Don’t be stupid.”

“You seem to be a good man.” Alan’s hair waving in the air by the wind coming from the window behind. “But it’s too late.” He jumped out of the window.

His body heavily hit on the ground and flattened. But his soul penetrated through the underground and kept sinking deeper. He saw his cadaver crying from pain, gradually blurring from his vision. He felt light and soft, like he was diving into a deep sea, except that everything around him was fire. He turned his translucent body around and looked below. He found his soul was gulped by the flames. Thousands of distorted, crumpled faces and crippled hands sliced through the flames, struggling their best to grasp the soul of Alan. But none of them made it as Alan’s soul stopped sinking and started to float back to the surface, he aimed at his body which was waiting there. A sudden palpitation attacked his heart when his body met his soul. He chocked several coughs and slowly stood up on the ground.

_I just knew._

He looked at the window that he jumped from and saw the middle-aged guard astonished face, reporting something at his intercom and disappeared from the window. He faced front at the exit of the prison which was just steps away from him. No guards were there, maybe all of them were gathered as reinforcements. Without any further hesitation, he ran to the exit.

*

Clark and Chloe were in Lex’s limo. Clark wasn’t really in a mood to go to the studio. Because he was worrying about Lex. Lex told him this morning that he had to meet his father tonight. He turned down the volume of the TV in front of them because it interrupted his train of thought.

“What’s wrong, Clark? We can never watch such entertainment programs in SmallVille.”

“Sorry to interrupt you, Chloe.” Clark took a sip from the juice next to him, “I asked you to do an investigation on the photo with a dark spot. Did you have time to do it?”

“Oh?” Chloe tilted her head and thought for a while, “Yes! The dark spot is real, there is no traces of Photoshop in it.”

“Did you check where the photo was taken too?”

“Sure.” Chloe took out a map of Metropolis that was prepared by the chauffeur and spread it out, and she stroke at the north-east area. “You got the photo from Lana, right? I found the coordinate of that photo. You see here is the broken bridge. And the photo was taken very close to the bridge, at this place.” Her finger stopped at a spot and she took out a red pen from her bag and marked a red X there.

“Must be the location of that laboratory.” Clark took over the map and observed it.

“That laboratory?” She didn’t know what Clark was talking about, and Clark didn’t seem to listen to her either. She paid more attention on the programs on TV. All of sudden, the show was stopped by breaking news.

“Oh my, Clark! Quick! Look!” Her eyes focused on the TV while she kept tapping Clark’s shoulder. “Isn’t this the prison that Lionel is in?!”

“What?! Lex is there!” Clark quickly put aside the map and started to watch the TV.

The reporter was describing a riot happening in the prison of Metropolis, in the background a building was burning, and at the front there stood the warden. He kept describing the situation as “there’s nothing happening here, everything is still under control.”, which was absolutely nonsense. The reporter moved her mic under her lips and started to report the number of casualties. Clark pressed several times speedily on the button on the side of his sofa to turn the volume up. The camera turned around and aimed at the road ahead of the reporter. Clark couldn’t believe it. Alan was right in the middle of the camera. A bullet passed through his chest and shot him down. Clark gasped. Then the sound and video were cut, the screen was showing white noise. Chloe tried to switch the channel but Clark stopped her. Several seconds after, the signal was back and Alan was running again.

“Oh my god…Clark, did you see that?!” Chloe turned her face and looked at Clark, mouth widely open. “I’m sure I saw that man being shot.”

Clark snatched the telephone on the desk and gave it to Chloe. “Cancel the appointment. I’m sorry. I have to be there now.”

Chloe looked confused, her phone was in her hand but she was not sure if she should call the staff of the studio. “But…It looks very dangerous…”

“Things are not right there. Lex can’t handle them alone.” He regards the map again and pressed the “stop” button at the door. Not before the limo stopped he already vanished.

*

Clark rushes to the prison, scanning every floor without being noticed by any guards. But he finds no trace of Lex. Slightly relieved, he quits the blazing building and goes to the still-safe building where Lionel is at. After several rounds of running and searching, he finds where Lionel is located. He pushes the door open and faces Lionel who’s indolently laying on the bed whistling some tune.

“Where is Lex!” He yells at Lionel.

Lionel jumps from his bed like a rabbit when he hears the voice of Clark.

“Clark Kent?!” He stares at Clark, shocked.

“He already left?” Clark goes closer to Lionel. “Tell me!”

Lionel begins to laugh, “You are here to save him? Too late. I know where he is heading. Where else could he be? I know, but I’m under no obligation to tell you.”

Clark thinks over what Lionel meant. A flash of idea comes into his mind. _No... Lex is heading to that haunting laboratory?!_ He looks back at Lionel’s expression and now he’s sure of this idea.

“You are not eligible to be his father.”

Map in his mind, he rushes out of the room and slams the door behind and volatilized in the air.


	8. Chapter 8

When Clark reaches the north-east of Metropolis, it's arleady evening. With the guide of the moonlight, he spots the haunting laboratory without too much difficulty. By every approach he feels more different ambience. Even now in autumn, the ground that he stands is covered by heavy fogs. This place has no sign of livings. Sounds of sands, rolling bottles, faded yellow papers and oxidized pipes are cluttered everywhere, all shows a stagnant state of time. He somehow can feel someone is looking at him, though he's not sure the source of this feeling. Several waves of colorful lights pierce through the fog, he sees an outline of Ferrari, the car body is totally engulfed by the fog. He's surprised to know that this is the only car here. He expects to see lots of police cars, or at least there should be a car driven by Alan. Through the walls of tarnished mesh, he finally sees the lab. He goes closer to the lab, dark green arabesques are all over the walls of it, covering the still faintly visible graffities of skulls and skeletons under. He uses his X ray vision to find the gate and when he makes it, he notices the gate is slightly distorted by years of isolation and neglect, and several broken chains corroded with rust on the ground. He tears the arabesques apart on the gate and pushes it and gets in. 

Once Clark gets inside, a mysterious force shuts the door heavily and soundly. he finds the door is impossible to be reopened, even by the power of him. Inside, darkness and silence bathe him, it's a place that he can’t even see his own fingers. He gets worried about Lex being here. He can smell the dusts in the air and hears his own breaths, and the coldness is abnormally overwhelming like the night in desert. As he walks, he hears the voice of Alan speaking to another whose voice is unknown to him. Then the voice of Alan stops, apparently Alan has noticed the existence of Clark.

“Knight, it's you again. How did you come down here?" Alan's deep and firm voice is echoing in the dark, so clear that it makes Clark dizzy.

“I came through the gate. Did you see Lex? I saw his car outside."

"I didn't see him. He might be somewhere, but not here."

Clark tries to find where Alan is standing, but no matter where he goes, the distance from the voice doesn't seem to change.

"Where are you?" He starts to give the idea of approaching Alan, "Maybe you can show up first. This isn't a safe place for you to stay, I'm sure Lex would suggest you a better place."

"If there're any safer places feel free to let me know."

"I'm not here to argue with this. Listen, can you see anything here?"

"Sure."

"I can't."

"Thankfully."

"Thankfully?"

"Do you know how many people died here? No, Clark Kent. You are not in a living world now, you are standing in another space, a symmetric space." His voice stops for a moment, "By your own power you are not able to get out. I'll find the exit for you."

Another space? Clark is not sure what Alan is insinuating, but in such a circumstance, he chooses to believe so, and the idea of being locked in another space gives him a very unpleasant feeling. His heart beats faster and louder, he grabs his own hand and tries his best to calm down.

"You might think I'm lying. I was shocked when I discovered that too." Alan continues, "When the right time comes, people fall here, and die here. They can never get out, since they can't find the exit. But I know rules. It can help you to get out of here.” Clark hears Alan clearing his throat and his footsteps of walking, “One, it’s almost an exact copy of the original space, like a soft link to the reality world, except the lights and the electricity are much weaker.” 

Some sounds of dusts from the ceiling falling next to Clark while Alan speaks, “Like that, you heard it. It means in the other space someone upstairs was walking over that. I guess this someone is Lex. You need to get him out of here once I find the exit."

Clark is just about to say something, but Alan stops him by continuing his speech, "Two, there always exists a two-way door between the two spaces, but the door keeps changing its position haphazardly. Three, because of the rule one, the door sometimes is invisible, but not completely, the connection is slightly different than the one exists in the other side. This difference makes a very good way for me to find this door.”

“Let’s assume what you said is true, but how are you even able to distinguish them?” Clark questions Alan, “I know you are very familiar with this place, but I don’t think you can remember everything here.”

“Oh dear knight, ” Alan giggles coldly, “the day when The Creature appeared, I began to see both sides at the same time. They are overlapped in front of my eyes. I can tell right away if there’s a door. " His voice pauses, "Wait, I found the exit. Stand still, I'm heading to you. It’ll take a while, whatever you hear, just don’t believe it." 

“What else could I hear?" Clark's spine freezes when he asks such a question.

"The voice of The Creature."

"Creature?"

There's no response. Clark stands still in the middle of silence, waiting for Alan to come to him. The only sound he can hear is his own breaths. 

*

Upstairs, a shadow is gloating over Lex. Lex is holding a pistol in his left hand and a flashlight in his right hand. The shadow makes several notable noises of steps behind Lex. Lex turns around but sees nothing, for the shadow is already behind him. This time, the shadow appears next to Lex's ear and whispers something dulcet. "Come to me." The voice reduced the vigilance of Lex. Suddenly, a swirl emerges under Lex's feet. Lex starts to sink into the swirl, and he finds himself impossible to get out of it. Soon, Lex's body is dragged into it and the swirl disappears from the floor. By instinct Lex closes his eyes when his face hits the ground.

He opens his eyes, he sees himself in a deep sea, so vaste, empty and profond that it looks hollow. He holds his breathe and tries to turn on the flashlight but he discovers that it is no longer functional. In the extremity at the horizon, he sees lots of thunders lightning and blasting like the worst storming weather in summer. Lex looks down and finds what underneath him is a mirror reflecting the floor where he was standing. He's feeling out of oxygen now. Seconds later, the shadow that previously followed Lex appears around him and blinds his eyes. Water penetrates into his lungs and burns him from the inside. He knows this feeling too well, it's the deja vu when he was drowning desperately in SmallVille. But this time, Clark is not here. Water invades his ears, his mouth and his nose. _No, I'm not going to die here._ A pale hand reaches out of the surface, instead of pulling him up, it drags him down. Lex feels as if he's falling from a cliff. Quickly Lex's body comes through the mirror and hits on a floor. The pale hand no longer is on his wrist now. He stands up on the ground. The previous feelings are all gone. He's surprised to know that the cloths and the shoes are dry. He touches his face and feels no water on his skin either. He doesn't understand what just happened to him and why this place is so dark and cold. He turns the flashlight on, thankfully it works again. Two voices not too far from him catches his attention. He is disconcerted to discover that one of the voices belongs to Clark. He doesn't know why Clark is here. And it disturbs him even more when he discovers the other voice is exactly the same as the voice of his own. He runs as fast as he can to find out what's going on.

*

The echoing of steps of heels knocking on the ground comes closer and closer, stopping at where Clark is standing. A cold wind coming from nowhere caresses Clark's back.

"Alan? Are you still there?" Clark frowns.

"He's not here. And he will not help you out. Of course." 

It's the voice of Lex.

"Lex?" Clark's voice is full of tension that it aches his nerve. _Does it mean Lex is trapped in this world too?_

"Where are you, Lex?"

"Clark, I'm right behind you. Turn around and come to me."

Clark is hesitated, for Alan warned him to ignore everything.

“Clark…Clark…Clark, please."

Uncertainly Clark moves his first step and turns around.

"Yes. Clark, come. Come to me, my darling."

Clark stops his steps; he senses something different in Lex's tone. No. Lex never called him in this way, "Why don't you come to me then?" He decides to do a test.

"I'm hurt. Please help me."

"Try walk several steps."

"Stop wasting our time, please, Clark, I feel...weak."

Clark is further doubting the voice in front of him, just when he wants to ask another question, a flashlight lights up the path around him. 

“Clark!” It's the voice of Lex again, but much stronger, “Why you are here!”.

Clark turns around, and sees Lex holding a big flashlight onto the front on one hand and a pistol on the other hand. Clark grabs Lex's shoulder and starts to touch all over Lex’s body.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just to make sure if you are hurt or not.”

“I heard you were talking to someone."

"I don't know who that is. Lex, he imitated your voice. I have seen Alan. He told me we can't get out without his help.”

Lex puts his pistol to his holster and stops Clark's touching, gripping Clark’s hand, “I’m fine. Where is he?”

"He said he was heading to me."

Behind Clark, Lex sees a dark contour blocks the light. Lex quickly raises his pistol and aims at it.

"Clark, I see something behind you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't turn around, come to my side."

Slowly and carefully, Clark goes to Lex and stands side-by-side with him.

"Now turn around, you'll see it by yourself."

Just when Clark follows the direction of Lex. The Creature grins in the darkness. 

“I’m right in front of you and you just ignore me.”

He starts to imitate the voice of Alan.

A cold hand lays on the hand of Lex and slowly pushes the pistol down, "Lex, don't." A soft and weak tone of Alan speaks behind Lex, "I'm sorry I dragged you in. Let me face him."

By hearing the voice of Alan, Lex lights up the path in front of the two, but instead of brightening the face of The Creature, the lights are on Alan. Clark’s frozen to the marrow when he sees Alan's pale face appearing suddenly.

“You are... The Creature?” He stutters.

"He is standing right next to me. Why can't you see him!?" 

The flashlight of Lex becomes gloomy. Lex knocks the flashlight several times but it doesn't help at all.

Clark grasps Lex's hand tighter, "Maybe we should run."

The Creature starts to laugh at this idea in Alan's voice.

"No. Let me face him." Lex moves his pistol and aims at the shadow that blocks the lights. "Alan, we cannot see him, but with the three of us -"

Lex's voice stops as he sees the shadow overlaps on Alan and surpasses him. A translucent figure appears from the shadow and gradually forms its human shape. Lex holds his flashlight higher, finally he sees The Creature’s face too. In fact, The Creature has a very beautiful pale androgynous face and is extremely tall, almost 80 inches, the figure of Alan can only reaches his chest. If it is not the eyes of bloodlust that betrayed its soul, Lex would doubt the evilness inside it. He has the aura of Alan, only much darker. The Creature walks slowly in circles around the two, so unstintingly showing his curiosity. Then he stops his step at Clark and studies his look and smiles in satisfaction. Alan rushes to Clark, trying to grab The Creature, but The Creature dodges Alan so quickly like he is translucent, he disappears and reappears next to Clark. When Alan attempts to stop him once again, The Creature seizes the left wrist of Alan.

"You have become weaker." The Creature reveals his true voice, which is very similar to Alan's but sexless. It's hard to tell if The Creature is a woman or a man.

"Yes I know. That's why I'm back." Alan looks away.

"Alan, don't listen to him. With us I can help you find out who you really are. I know you are very confused." Lex swallows and pretends to be calm, "First we get out together."

Clark feels a jerk of pain in his heart when he hears what Lex said. He wonders if he discussed his own anxieties with Lex, would Lex share with him the same as he is trying to share with Alan?

“Pfff." The Creature rolls his eyes, "Son of Lionel Luthor. Mind you. He belongs to me." He holds Alan closer to his chest, "Pray, hybrid. I always enjoy your face when you are sad.”

"No you don't." Lex aims his pistol at the forehead of The Creature and fires. The gunfire blasts through him and leaves him unhurt. The Creature laughs out loud and once again faces Clark who is trying to cover Lex, then whispers to Clark in a dulcet female voice, “Lex is your enemy. Make him suffer, because you want to.” He unclenches their fingers and releases Alan's wrist.

“NO!” Alan yells. But the hand of Clark is already on Lex's collar, and he grabs it and hit Lex against the wall. The strengths are so strong that it makes Lex cough. When Lex looks back at Clark, a red flow of liquid dyes his pupils and glows. Clark’s eyes are now flamming in red. Clark squeezes Lex’s neck and raises Lex in the air, immediately Lex is unable to breathe. He can see some black liquid is flowing into Clark's veins and instantly Clark's muscles are all tightened. Lex tries his best to raise his flashlight. Dimly he sees Alan’s face behind, cursing something at The Creature, but The Creature keeps looking down at him and Clark, grinning and clapping his hands. Alan becomes furious and slaps The Creature, but The Creature slaps Alan back and kisses him deeply. Then he starts to laugh in Lex's voice, Clark's voice and Alan's. Suddenly Clark's hand becomes tighter, Lex feels his throat is burning, he struggles to stop it but he knows he has no chance to succeed, he looks at Clark's eyes, which is filled in tears shimmering like all the pain of Lex is on Clark as well. 

The Creature tugs Alan and comes closer to Clark and Lex. Now he is standing between them, enjoying this moment of ecstasy.

"Your frivolous performance interests me none. Stop!" Alan speaks to The Creature in an aggressive tone.

“Let’s just enjoy this play of romance a little longer.” He touches the chin of Alan.

"Clark..." Lex wants to say something to Clark, but he’s obviously unable to. His vision becomes more and more blurry, he closes his eyes, still trying his best to breathe. His sweats trickle onto Clark’s hand, he frees his hand by throwing away his pistol. He lays his trembling hands on Clark’s. It’s not a signal of fight, but a signal of stopping him.

All of sudden, Lex feels he is able to breathe again. Clark has stopped his motivation of stifling Lex. The eyes of Clark are no longer flaming and his veins are no longer contaminated in black. Clark's mind is back to his own. Lex falls onto the ground; he coughs and suffers from asthma. 

"Impressive. You just broke my spell. Let's see if you can break another one." He says in an indolent tone.

Just when The Creature starts his hypnotizing again, the room is filled with whispering of Alan, echoing like there are dozens of him. The whispering is so overlapped that both Clark and Lex are not able to hear what Alan is speaking at all, they are not even sure if Alan is speaking English. On the ground, Lex grabs back his pistol and tries his best to hold his flashlight on his right hand, he sees Alan is standing on the other side of Clark and whispering in Clark’s ears. The skin color of Alan’s face and hands are all livid, whiteness congests his eyes, he continues whispering until his hands and his voice start to quake. Clark's eyes become hollow, looking at Lex like he’s in a dream. Alan stops, leaning against the wall and panting.

"This way, Lex. This way." Clark speaks monotonously, the syllable in his voice frightens Lex. Then he grabs Lex's arm and carries Lex on his shoulder, turning around and walking to the door of this room.

“Why so serious?” The Creature questions Alan.

“I’m not in a mood of play today.” Alan’s appearance turns back to normal.

“Novice, how pompous your hypnotizing is. I bet you can barely stand still now. I will teach you some time.”

"At least it works. I told him the returning path and demanded him to get out with Lex together.”

The Creature sneers, “Fine. Now it leaves only two of us.”

Lex wants to hear more of their conversation, but Clark doesn’t allow him to do so, they are already in another room, where it’s filled with all kinds of broken woods, cuvettes and vials. Clark goes to a closet with two doors, opens one of them, clearing every mess inside in an extremely fast speed and gets into the closet together with Lex, then he closes the door and opens it again and gets outside. Throughout the process Clark didn’t say anything, like he was just a robot who obeys the rules.

The gloomy of moonlight shines into the room. Cool and fresh waves of breezes of autumn caress their faces, bringing the signs of the returning of reality to them. Clark finally is back to his own will. But the previous experience greatly damaged his spirit. He witnessed everything he did to Lex. He is filled with guilt and remorse. And Lex is no better than him. Lex touches Clark’s body and leans on him. They stay there for a long while without being able to move or speak. In the end, it’s Lex who stands up first. He touches the door of the closet and turns around to Clark.

"We can't go back..." Lex lowers his eyelids.

"Yes we can. " Clark swallows and stands up, "Alan told me it was a two-way door. But the exit keeps changing."

"He said so?"

Clark nods.

Lex looks at Clark's eyes and lays his hands on Clark's shoulders, “I thought of an idea. Clark, let's go to my car."

With the help of Clark, Lex gets out of the laboratory and gets in his car, throwing his pistol on one of the front seats and taking out a red flare gun.

"Listen to me, Clark, you've got to help me on this." He raises his flare gun and seizes it.

"What do you want me to do?"

"We get in."

"We get in?" Clark already starts to hate this idea. "Are you sure of this idea? Alan tried his best to get us out."

"We get in, and once you see Alan, knock him down, and get out alone, you put him in the car and wait for me there."

"You decide to fight The Creature alone? I won't allow it!"

"I'll be fine. I think I know his weakness now. Damn, I should have prepared this before I got in." Lex stares at Clark with his clear blue eyes. "Let's try it again to see if the door has changed its position." Lex puts his hand on Clark's nape and kisses Clark. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." Clark takes a deep breath and kicks the door open, luckily the door is not yet switched. No reason for him to hide his ability in front of Lex now.

Lex blends his body into the darkness. He raises the right hand which is holding the flashlight to aluminate the path for Clark and get his flare gun ready on the left hand. Behind him Clark uses his fastest speed to sprint. All he thinks is to find Alan where he saw him just now and knock him down. But he stops his steps once he sees the terrible scene in front of him. Under the pale lights, Alan is lying on the ground, motionless, and next to him, The Creature is caressing his hair while singing some lullaby in his sexless voice. The plan in his mind quickly changes, Clark goes to The Creature and knocks him in the air. The Creature is too surprised to turn his body into a shadow, instead his physical body heavily hit on the wall. The uproars of The Creature distances away deafen the ears of Clark and pierce throughout the air of this space, but he doesn't really mind it. He carries Alan's body and rushes to the exit where Lex is standing.

"Let's get out together!" Clark stops at the exit and yells at Lex. The Creature quickly jumps back and tries to attack Clark's back, but his action is stopped by Lex who's still inside the warped world and firing his flare gun. A white incandescent fire bursts out and expands itself into four different directions, painting the room with the thousands of rays of light as splended as the sun at high noon.

"Enjoy the product of LuthorCorp. Let's go, Clark."

The Creature curses in a wretched voice and a heavy dark fog surrounds him, soon his form fades away together with the fog. 

Making sure Clark is out first, Lex gets out of the exit too.

Clark places Alan on the front seat and sits on the back seat, waiting for Lex. Just several minutes later, Lex opens the door next to him and gets inside the car. It is surprising for Clark to see Lex bringing out his cellphone and turning the autopilot on.

"Under such heavy fogs, better let the pilot drive my car, no?" Lex glimpses at Alan who's still not awaken.

"I checked his pulse, he's alive. I think he must be drained."

"Think about what happened to him today. It makes sense. If he is hypnotized, I'll find a way to break it." Lex then he faces at Clark. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm totally fine. I'm more worried about you." Clark looks at Lex with feelings of guilt, and he touches the wounds around Lex's neck. "Did it hurt?"

"Not that much. I knew you wouldn't kill me. You broke a spell, that's really something wonderful." Lex brings out two bottles of water on his side and gives one to Clark.

Bitterly Clark smiles, "Where are we going now? Your home?"

"No. We go to a private hotel. I'll place Alan there until everything becomes stable and peaceful." Lex leans back, voice relieved.

It doesn't seem to surprise Clark too much to know that there's a private hotel for Lex, rich men like Lex sometimes need esoteric places to stay safe and hermit.

"I'm not sure what he will react when he opens his eyes."

"hmm." Lex laughs, "Do you know last time when you knocked me down, what did I react when I opened my eyes?"

"I..." Clark's mouth's widely opened, "I thought you didn't know."

"It's fine, Clark. I won't mind it. Anyway, I don't think he would be too happy about our choice." Lex points to a box underneath Clark's seat, "Take the box out please."

Clark follows and learns that there is a medical box. He takes out one of the first aid sprays. "Let me, please." He pops up the cap and sprays it around Lex's wounded neck, instantly the room is filled with scents of mint.

"Better?" 

"Come here, Clark."

Clark moves closer to Lex. Their eyes meet, and neither of them looks away. Lex touches Clark's chest and feels the strength of Clark's hand which is on his wrist and kisses Clark with his warm lips. Once the feeling starts, Clark doesn't want to let it go. He tastes the warm and sweet lips of Lex, hearing the moan of Lex and finding himself unable to stop. His arms bracket Lex's body, tongue down in Lex's throat and draws back, enjoying the dazed eyes of Lex.

"I have to confess you something, Clark." Lex speaks softly, putting his hand on the back hand of Clark and place it on his thigh.

"Yes?" Clark raises his eyebrow, feeling a bit uneasy.

"I was exchanging letters with Alan ever since he went to jail. I can give you all of the letters if you want."

"No need to." Clark kisses Lex again. "I trust you."

"I know I might sound like an asshole but I wish he could be my brother. " Lex tilts his head and enjoys the feeling of Clark against him. 

"I just hope Alan understands it too."

"Thank you. It'll take time, I know."

When they arrive at the hotel, they find the hall is filled with all kinds of people. An old man with grey hair stands behind the front desk and greets Lex. His face turns to grey when he discovers the wounds around Lex's neck. He looks at Alan who's in the arm of Clark and quickly asks his concierge to take them to Lex's room upstairs. Once they arrive there, Clark places Alan on the bed and wait at the door. Two medical looking men knock the door and ask for permission to get inside. But Lex rejects them and gets out together with Clark. Lex then asks Clark to wait in the hall until he finishes the rest of the procedure. Clark sits on one of the sofa, a lobby boy comes to him and gives him a menu of beverage. He orders some drink in the menu and looks around, in one of the corner a man with sunglasses is speaking Spanish to his Bluetooth headphones. In another corner, a Chinese looking woman dressing in a red cheongsam is reading some newspaper in a form of ideogram. Next to his seat, a blond woman sitting in the sofa is whispering some financial numbers at the ear of a man who's sitting next to her and enjoying his coffee. Almost everyone looks mystic, no wonder Lex said this was a private hotel. Soon Lex goes down and picks up Clark.

When they quit the hotel, it's already midnight. Lex then takes Clark to a restaurant that opens only in midnight and has supper with him. After the supper, Lex asks if Clark can stay in his manor until morning. Without a doubt, Clark agrees.

*

In the middle of the night, a window in Lex's bedchamber clicks, the curtains wave in the air and become translucent, a woman with red hair, cerise lips and dressing in a lurid red robe, come through the curtain and look at Lex on the bed, who's still sleeping.

"Salut." A deep but mellifluous female voice enchants.

When Lex hears the voice, his first reaction is to grab the pistol in one of the drawers of his nightstand. But his body feels extremely heavy and it's impossible for him to lift his arm. He opens his eyes, and he tries to turn his neck, but it's totally a futile waste of time.

"Who are you?" He asks while staring at the ceiling.

"You may know me as Rouge, as I was once written in a doctor's notebook."

"You...come to kill me?" He clenches his teeth.

"No, Lex. I only do communication in human's dreams. You are dreaming now, Lex Luthor. I'm a messenger from the other side, thus I carry a message for you."

Lex tries his best to open his eyes but no matter how much effort it takes, he fails to do it in reality. 

"Don't be scared. A messenger harms no one."

"What's the message that you carry?"

"To thank you for saving our hybrid from The Creature."

"Hybrid? You mean Alan?"

"I would rather prefer to call him Julian, it's his project name, Julian Luthor. Your father gave the DNA of his son to us indirectly. One of his craftmen had a connection with us. We accepted the offer as we were eager to create an highly intelligent hybrid to contact between the two world. His DNA matched our requirements, we created them after hundreds of failed attempts. We read what he reads, see what he sees, hear what he hears but unfortunately we can't feel what he feels."

Lex almost chokes when he hears it. It somehow solved all the puzzles in his mind. His skin color, his ability to see other worlds and The Creature, and his grotesque abilities.

"So he's a hybrid of two worlds? How come he doesn't know it himself?"

"You might not know, but he's too rebellious to accept this idea, thanks to all the effects of your father. Little did you know that he suffered from neurasthenia. He's too precious for us to take this risk as the creator of him is missing. When the time comes, we will inform him."

"Why did nobody protect him if he's really this important? Hmm, I get it, because none of you can be here."

Lex hears Rouge's voice coming closer, he can feel that Rouge is no longer by the window but inside the bedchamber now.

"It is difficult, but we did our best. Our best bet is to let him protect himself." She says, "He's the only person who can live in your world. Our physical forms violate the rule of nature of your world. There's a transmitter inside him, once he's wounded, his blood stops flowing, his hybrid tissues bide, and in the meanwhile the transmitter sends the information of the parts wounded to our central system. Then the system sends back the repairing information to his immune system. The transmission and the analysis take 5 seconds. This action heals him and prevents him from being hurt further. Even if he dies in this 5 seconds, he still can be revived. He's almost immortal, except if the transmitter is broken. No human can destroy that transmitter, it's beyond human's technology and power. But The Creature can. We couldn't kill him because he carries a duty as well, we don't have time to replace him with someone else. I wish I could be here earlier to tell you, but you were always precautious even when you were sleeping. Thankfully, you and Clark Kent saved him in the end."

"So you are here to just thank us for taking him out of that laboratory?"

"Most likely yes. But if you want some gift, you can make a wish, I'll carry your wish back to our world and realize it."

"A wish? I can make a wish?" Lex sounds surprised, "Any wish?"

"Any rational one. I can come back next time when you are ready." She steps back a few steps and kneels on one knee, her contour becomes blurry. Lex can hear the wind surrounding her.

"Wait!" Lex stops her. "I'm ready."

"What is it?"

"I wish I and Clark can be together as lovers in the rest of our lives."

Rouge's face becomes emotionless, "Sorry, Lex. We are not gods. The destiny of you or him can only be determined by yourselves. "

"Damn." Lex lowers his head and contemplates, "I thought that was rational enough."

"Nope. If you want we can invade both your dreams and increase the amount of phenethylamine in your central nervous system, and Clark's, like you two eat a lot of chocolate and make you have debauched dreams together every night."

"Hmm..." Lex mediates, "No thank you. I like to keep ourselves as we are now."

"No other wishes?"

"Everything else is what I'm sure I can accomplish."

"No problem. May you have happy lives together in the future."

"Thank you." Lex smiles.

Rouge kneels on one knee again, strong winds surrounds her and this time she vaporizes in the air.

In the next morning during the breakfast time, Clark tells Lex that he had a dream last night, that a red hair woman appeared and asked him if he wanted a wish.

"And did you make any wish?" Lex raises his eyebrow.

"I did, I said I wished you be happier. But she said it wasn't rational. So I refused to make another wish. And she just vanished, nothing happened after."

"Nothing happened after?" Lex smiles and goes to Clark while tightening his necktie.

"I hope so." Clark pouts, sitting on his chair and drinking some lemon juice.

Lex goes to Clark's side, bends down and kisses his cheek.

"I love you Clark."

Clark becomes totally flushed, he doesn't even know why that kiss can make his heart beat so fast.

"I love you too, Lex." He says.

*

On the next day, Lana is sitting on a chair at the back office of Talon. She's watching a video on the internet of today's breaking news in Metropolis. A man inside the video reminds her something. She watches it over and over and a flash of light comes into her mind.

"It's the man in the photo that I showed to Clark!"

She stands up and grabs her bag and rushes out of the cafe. Her only goal is Metropolis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your reading :) My goal is to get rid of Lionel and Lana and bring back what Lex lost.


End file.
